Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-12-30
For the "Grant County Herald,
How 70 Have Better Roads.


For many years in private, and for som
months in public, the intolerable condition q
the public Highways of the Town of Lancaste
has been the theme of ridieule aud complain,
and we doubt much, whether any person
induced from either necessity or pleasure /
travel the circuit OF them, will dispute th
justice Of the murmur.
we are now IN the midst of calm, followin
political strife and Holiday fun and froli
Is nearly past ;-perhaps it is a favorable tim
to soberly consider the complaint, and in
qnlre after the cause. If the latter can b.
discovered, our common interest and prid
should unite our common sense to ferret out
II possible, and speedily apply the Eecessar,
remedy.
We believe it is a principle of nature
philosophy, that cause and effect travel hans
in hand II we therefore are able to see tb,
effect, shall We, without search after tn.
cause, tune anew our harps, to continue III,
doleful music Of our repining and complaint
or shall We like men, face the foe and organic,
for victory?
Admitting then, as we think all reasonabl,
men will, that the complaint made is, in fact
only too true; it will be our aim at present, Il
inquire after this cause; and if found, to sue.
gest a specific, designed as a radical cure.
We therefore ask what is this banefu
cause2 Is It because we inhabit localit,
composed OF such soil, with other conditions
10 render permanent highway repair tota
impossibilityy We assume that such is moi
the fact Is 1t then because we make nc
pre'ense at highway repair? Every man ofu.
will Indignantly answer, "No we have been
pretending for the last thirts years."
Is II therefore, because se refuse to tar
ourselves TO sufficient ey tent, to cover the
labor and expense, necessary to make repairs
and maintain them Go with us. if you
please, to the town records, where we shall
find that the Town of Lancaster, levied upon
her several districts, and nominally collected
and expended, during the last year, a little
rising of $4,000, sun that to us does no,
appear to be very niggardlv appropriation
especially as we find from the same
records, that from $4,000 to $4,000 have
been similarly levied collected aud expended
annually, for the last twenty years, hence,
we being judges, the answer to our main
question is not found in this. Where shall
we next search for it?
A noticeable feature of all the complaining
we have heard has been free from charging
the fault to either private or corporate par
ties; while at the same time the inference il
that no fault lies at the door of the grnmbler
but that great wrong does rest with some.
body. Now suppose we each commence the
work of extracting the beam out of our owr
eve, preparatory to a search for the mote in
some other locality Perhaps, if some out.
sIders were to intimate, that the fault /:
largely traceable to low degree of Highway
moral honesty prevalent among US; and
suppose he should also intimate that, taken
as whole we approximate the grand
character of set of s,oindlers, Scosaadrels and
robbers would not our hair stand perpen.
dlcularly If the writer were not one of the
family, talking privately; and not expecting
1t to 60 outside for general gossip; we would
not dare to Intimate that we believe the
outsider would touch us on a very tende,
topic. But being in the family connection
we ask few questions for our mutual re,
Aection.
When called upon to work upon the high
way, do we respond thereto with pleasure
as though we were privileged thereby TO pay
an honest debt? Do we not regard the cali
as one to day of mere pdstinae, rather than
as one of duty Are not the fewest hours
we can spend and the smallest amount oil
NN~S' w SaA pNiAOiiA wv OtbSu our sndInS-
less aim and most deliberate study. Do
not most of US seem to care but little, ex-
cept to know that our road tax is Cancelled
are there not men among US while each
would scern to defraud his neighbor of an
honest nickle who does not hesitate to rob the
public of dollars of honest dues for labor
upon the highway?
1t may perhaps, be somewhat difficult to
point out the exact spot where farce and
fraud and, where robbery begins but where
we come down to the real marrow of the
English, robbery seems to be distinguished
from fraud, only by its greater degree OF
recklessness and daring; with the pilfering
OF the larger amount fraud generally being
regarded, as the most contemplate.
While we regard our very low degree OF
moral honesty as at least one cause of our
highway disgrace; we do not regard il as the
fundamental cause. We cannot other than
believe the root OF the evil lies in the law
providing for highway repairs. We believe
the law to be in error in several particulars
notably SO, in the authorizing of the pay
ment of highway tax, in labor. But says one,
why do you object to this clause | had
supposed this provision was the crowninq
glory Of the whole law" 1t is true this priv
legc of paying our taxes in labor is quite
attractive on IS face-and as an ornament il
would be easily endured II IS also true that
q gold ring in the nose of Hottentot is
attractive, and may be easily endured,
because it is all for show; but even the
Hottentot would dispense with the ornament,
were it gold muxzle at the time of his meals,
just so if this very popular provision is found
To be both dangerous and disastrous 70 pub.
lie policy, We think it would be wise to try
and absorb the glory by some other method
while we entirely dispense with the Groom.
We should not aspire so much TO appearance
in method as to practicabiIity in result.
We can, perhaps best illustrate the practi.
cal utility, Of this very popular provision, By
reciting the experience of at least one over.
seer OF highways; who, desiring to put in
necessary repair, certain highway and
having estimated he would need and could
use to good advantage, about ten men, witt
the necessary implements for work - accord
ingly he gave legal notice to that number.
The morning for work arrived, but in the
meantime A. B. and G. concluded the high.
way was not in such pressing need of work,
as were their cornfelds-so they made nc
appearance upon the highway. d. and E. in
the interval, had discovered they were order.
ed to work on highway, they never hat
travelled, and never expected an occasion to
travel over, and oeing very shrewd calcula-
tors of personal interest-ihen and there
resolved that, from that time henceforth and
forever they would work on no highway =
except those crossing their own premises, o.
those between their respective homes ant
the village depot, hence they made no ap
pearance.
+. and G. upon due reflection remembered
the only tax chargeble to them was DO
taz; and that it was violation of the Stat
constitution, to levy such tax and eac
being loyal by Misunderstanding faithful
served under the confederate flag in defenc,
of State rights, concluded they could no
consistently become aiders and abettors, t
violation of that sacred instrument calle
the constitution Of the State OF Wisconsin
and of course did not respond to the call =
hence II. l, and J. were all out of ten, not
fed, who appeared aud answered to the call
1t may not be inappropriate in this con
nection, 10 give blef description Of thes
three dutifui citizens, thus responding to th
call
II is fine respectable old gentleman
about 10 years Of age the owner ant
manager of splendid farm, with three goo,
boys under bis command to perform tn
necessary labor thereon-the old gentema
having retired from labor by reason of hi
age and feeblness; yet adjudged able to D,
in day. upon the highway, at a credit upo
his tax Of ST., so for hours work
"I'-is young man Of some IA years
representative Of another splendid farm
run by his father and brothers-he neve
having been required to labor day thereon
because of = supposed weakness in spine, an
probably with a noninclined dspnSition |