Iron County register., 1882-03-23
Our Roads,

tcItcfcd StTiouSiy Will O0f touoS OH
over the country, SO that the question
In regard to their being repaired has
assumed unusual Importance it may not
be amiss to call attention to the general
subject,
Among the advantages arising from
the introduction of railroads into q
country, We may reckon the fact that
they form basis for a system of roads.
They accomplish this by establishing
centers to which business will be at
tracted, and as roads are intended for
the convenience of the people, they
will naturally Converge to those CEN
ters.
Starting with the Idea that roads are
made for the people, and not the peo-
pie for the roads, railroad then be-
comes a basis for system of roads in a
country, aad so remedies great diff
Guilty which has arisen from the utter
lack Of system in this matter.
Our ancestors were q straightforward
people; they despised "buffalo engi-
neering," and when a hill stood in
their way, they struck it squarely,
seeking to travel as nearly AS may be
ON bee-line; and when a track was
once established, they were slow to
change it.
The great expense connected with
the change of road is often made plea
for submitting to a positive inconveni-
ence. But the idea of public utility
will always eventually prevail in this
matter; and keeping this fact before us,
we can discuss this subject, and sketch
a system regarding roads as furnishing
drainage to a country, the Material car
ried on them being the commerce in
stead of the supertluous water.
This suggests u variety of considera-
tions. AS it is true that under law
for draining a country, the State only
makes the leading drains, and then
can require the neighbors to drain their
lands into those. so the public funds
should be expended only on great lead
ing thoroughfares, and leaving the
neighbors to make their roads to those.
It is we'll known that this idea will not
be popular, but it is as well known that
the State is no more under obligation
to make roads for the lands of all who
may wish it to do so than it is required
to fence a mans land. And there is
another fact just as well known, and
that is, that by requiring the State to
make and keep i'm repair all roads, our
funds are insufficient; so there are but
two ways out of the difficuky-either
authorize unlimited taxation for road
purposes, or limit the States field of
operations to the great thoroughfares,
and leave the side roads to private en-
terprise, or he, as we are now, without
pa assible roads.
In locating great roads, let them
strike the line of the railroad as nearly
as possible at right angle, and cross
at the business points established by
the railroad. Take as an illustration
of this idea the Irontun and Frederick
town road. Consider the road leading
up Stout's creek as an extension of this
road, and for fifty dollars possible
road can be made to township 81, north,
range 2 west, Os clear across the cOun-
ty. And OH this line the Middle Fork
of Black river can be reached in twen-
ty miles from Ironton, and the whole
trade of that thrifty and rapidly devel-
oping district be brought eastward. 1t
is true that the natural terminus of
that line is at Pilot Knob, but let the
fort.
But there are other points to be no
ticed. First, in regard to our road tax
being worked out. First, the party
must be notified. This takes time and
costs money. Then. in many cases the
of the party notified is Op-
tional, and the State has no remedy;
and very often when he does attend
he proved to be like the negro's horse
hard to catch aud worth very little
when he is caught.
Give us law imposing poll tax on
every voter, aud requiring that tax to
be paid before the person can vote, and
let the money go into the road fund.
In protesting against taxation with
out representation. We have run into
the opposition extreme of representa-
tion without taxation; whilst the true
principle is that every man whom the
State protects should support the State.
If this law did no other good it will
purify the ballot box. by compelling
candidates to pay the taxes of the men
whose votes they now buy less COM
mendably.
Again, let our road tax be collected
in money. as our school tax is at present,
and let the overseer lire laborers to do
the work. Our road law at present is
at variance with all our other laws,
and should be brought into line with
them. A man is not permitted to work