The south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1879-1883, 1882-01-17
TURNPIKES.
Are They Needed If SO Who
ought to Make Them2
Iron, New Ers.l

From New Era.
Awaiting myself Of yuuroiler to give
space in your paper Ter the discussion
Of the Road question, | offer a lew
suggestions. You will allow me To
say that in my judgement, in the dis
cussiop Of this matter in your paper
you have to some extent, mistaken
the objects sought ia be- attained by
its friends, and have been fighting
which no one has advocated.
Have in fact been trying to batter
down the man Of straw set up by
yourself. "a y 4 -
Now / state and do ,naI believe IL
can be .rnthiplly .contrpy6ttsath That the
principle Involved in the matter Of
tax fer the purposes contemplated by
the friends Of a change in our road
system, does not iilfer in any essen
tial point from the principles now en-
ercised by our own county, and proba-
bly, by every other county and sta,e
in this country. In fact, without re-
cogniiion Of the principle, that cer-
tain individual rights must be snrren-
lered for the good Of the WHOLE. no
civilized community or state could be
established or msintained. The doc
trine the New Era is advocating, il
carried ont would stop the wheels oil
progress md material improvements
not only in counties but in the entire
country.
Lay aside prejudice and let MS take a
plain common sense view Of tins mat
ter. The opponents Of this measure
admit it is all right and legitimate to
tax tho people to build Courilonses,
jails, bridges fix bail places in the
public highways &c. tax tile time and
muscle Of all able bodied men in the
county to work from two to ten, days
each year.. on tho public roads But
they holdup their hands in huly hrrQr
and ciy ont in agony il you talk aboai
making'this very same principle more
efficient, by increasing to limited ex-
tent the present resources OF the conn-
ty for this purpose. Changing the
present worthless system Of wasting
The time and money Of the. people, to
some more practical plan Tor perma-
nently bsncfittiug the roads OF the
county. All right to tax the people
to build halfmile ofpike ever bal
place, Or bnili d bridge (Which isl
part Of the highway over q small
stream, which in many instances
coulL be crossed much easier than
many parts Of the road to set TO it
But all wrong aud a terrible violation
OF private rights TO levy reasonabl,
TAX each year and eyprnd it judiclons-
ly in making permanent good roads
All right to tax the labor Of the poo
man to work the dirt roads but al
wrong to tax the packet Of the rel
man to help the labor tax aud poll o
the poor man 10 make permanent ire'
turnpikes over which all can trave
with pleasure, and transport thri
produce with little expense or delay
Take another view Of this matter
Who owns and controls The rubli
highways Of this county?
The people. through their selecte'
officers. Who are now required b.
law to work and keep in order III
public roads? the people. Is this la
Dor voluntary or enforced? " ork whe
ordered ont BY the road master or b
subject to fine.
: is our present road system defec
e tive? And do we need better roads
There will probably be n, controvers
c about these propositions. The gres
, question then is how can these evil
r be remedied? Who ought to max
q our roads better? Common justic
and common sense as well, say the
: who own and control them and VIII
viii be benefited by iheir improv,
c ment How can this best be done
: We say by the levy If q general &C
: valorrm tax, say Of 25 or 30 cents, ali
r in no year to exceed so cents on Il
II one hundred dollars. Together wit
g per-capi,a tax Of one dollars each yea
Thirty cents on the hundred dolla
: and me poll tex would make availab
. about twenty thousand per yea
:, (which fjudiciously expended, won
i in a few years vastly improve Il
II principle highways Of the count
IS Piking where necessary, and THROWN
e up aud draining when this might
Is thought best. At the expiration
). the time required for this work, no ol
:. could say he had been made poor
:: by reason of this tax. But the cou
! ty would be by so much richer, as Il
10 advance in real estate in county al
n town, and the convenience Of inle
d communication produced by go,
Ie roads would make it.
1t Another plea for free pixies is TIL
v. provided there was any possibility
d their being built by subscription al
used as toll roads; the yearly toll {
: regular travel on the road would 9
coed the yearly tax to build free road
10 The first would be continuous, the Ii
"a ter only a few years. sgA,g
il Much more might be said on Il
A. subject; but probably am alrea
trespassing on yonr space, and "
a only add: That this being purely
i, business matter, / trust those intere'
I, ed will, without prejudice, consiC
- the matter-looking at it inthe light
Is its permanent benefits. In the me
Q. time If this is. not the best way, W
ID some one suggest better.
10 Dec. 3lst. 1881. @.
a.