Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-10-05
The Public Road system.

/ 2AIis 1ID1lOhs we huOW lIldL ll5 hLb6lIlOu
of many of your readers is fully absorbed
in important political contests, yet we beg
space in your excellent paper to submit
few thoughts in regard to the public road
| system.
One hundred and twelve years ago the
first permanent settlement of whites was
formed in Tennessee. Eighty-seven years
| ago Tennessee was a Territory. Eighty
six years ago this Territory became State.
Soon after, the Legislature enacted pub
lie road law, by which every freeman be
tween the ages of eighteen and forty-fve
years, and every male slave between the
ages of fifteen and fifty years were to work
on the roads-slaves to work eight years
longer than freemen. This system, at
the time of its establishment, and, for
MANY years after, was the most equitable
that could have been devised Seventy
eight years ago Tennessee was, compar
atiyely, wilderness of woods and cane
brakes, occupied IN part by the red man,
with here and there few settlements of
whites Seventy eight years ago the people
of Tennessee We're cOlouists, III Il new
colony. negro slave was worth 1000
acres of our best lands Best lands
could be taken up by pay
ing small registration fee. At
that time our fathers piowed with wooden
mould bOald plows, they reaped their
wheat with sickles, threshed it with fails,
and famed it with sheets and blankets
They sold corn at 10 cents per bushel to
little surplus products were hauled hun
dreds of miles on wagons to be exchanged
for coffee and salt. AT that time the toot
OF the iron horse was nowhere to be heard
III tennessee, and steamboats, ploWed none
of our rivers.
As the State grew, the road system grew
less equitable and the demands for more
efficient system grew; but we had become
SO naturaIzed to the old system that, to talk
OF change, was utterly absurd. But the
laws ana customs which suited the colonists
do not suit the old settlers of Tennessee,
and especially a road law that suited in
times of slavery does not suit in these
times of freedom. The Legislature of 1881
enacted an act entitled, IAN Act to Regulate
the Working and Laying Out OF Public
Roads, which is hundred per cent. i'm
provement on the old. Yet there is great
act provides that every male between
the ages of eighteen and fifty years shall be
assessed to work on the road, not less than
three nor more than SIX days in each year,
and that d tax of not less than five cents
nor more than fifteen cents on the 800
worth of taxable proper shall be assessed
for road purposes, the County Courts to
make said assessments each year.
The County Court of the good county of
Blount fo- the year 1882, assessed the labor
at four days and taxes at the lowest limits,
one half of which Is payable III labor at 1233
cents per hour.
Were all equally interested, we should
find but little fault. But all admit that
capitalists are more interested than non
capitalists. Some say that the poor cost
the government enough criminally to over
balance the inequality. This assertion
may not be altogether groundless, yet it is
greatly exaggerated A very excellent judge
of Tennessee while charging the grand jury
said, iuries often pass lightly over charges
against men of wealth and influence; WnIle
bllls were found and easily sustained against
men of low repute, on the most triting
evidence. Very right, noble judge.
Grammarans give two voices active and
passive. The active voice represents its
| subject as acting the passive, as acted
/ upon. In law capitalists are in active voice,
representing themselves acting. Non-cap-
itaIists are III the passive voice, represent
ing themselves as acted upon. Our courts
and Legislatures usually are, and should be
made up of our best citizens. We of
course, do not complain of this. He
that Is dihgent IN business shall stand
in kings courts. We only wish to
show that the poor who have but little use
for roads, owe but little for keeping them
up. An extraordinary spirit of protection
to the poor is set forth IN the exemption
laws of Tennessee. There is exempt from
execution to heads of families, property,
which, when all good, would exceed -, 000.-
The pretended object of these exemptions
is to secure to families comfortable living,
but 1t is a contradiction, it bears positive
lie on its face. For failure or refusal to
work it walks right into the poor mans
cabin and takes the last mouth full of bread
from his wife and children very noble
protection-sUeh protection as hawks give
to chickens. Very respectfully,
H. Z. CLEMENS.
Maryville, Tenn, September 2oth, 1882