The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1882-04-12
VERY DESIRABLE ACTION

Our legislative dispatches from Austin
yesterday morning referred to resolution
ofSENAToR HoMAH, requesting the govern
or to submit for the consideration of the
legislature the question Of the reduction of
the poll-tax. Upon its being taken up,
SENATOR HARRIS, of Bell, offered what
seems to us to have been an exceedingly
wise and appropriate substitute, which,
however, was lost. The substitute, or that
portion particularly in which we are inter-
ested, simply requested the submission by
the governor for legislative consideration,
the question of levying throughout the
state uniform road and bridge
tax to supersede the present road law, and
the inadequate and unjust means upon
which the state must now depend for that
sine qua non of rapid and thorough deyel-
opment, good roads. We have many rea-
sons for wishing an early reconsideration
and adoption of a resolution or measure,
such as proposed by SENATOR HARRIS, IN
der the peculiar conformation of our Texas
soil, especially in North Texas, for six
months in the year, all branches
of business and trade arc practi-
cally paralyzed from the al
most impossible condition of county
roads, Farmers and planters with cotton
and tho various products upon which they
depend for subsistence, find it impossible
to carry them frequently to market only
ten miles away, for the mud and slush or
the holes and washouts on tho highway
@ untry merchants cannot supply the
trade and demands of the ncighborhOod,
because it is next to impossible to trans
port goods, and the cities and wholesale
merchants suffer accordingly. New corners
used to better state of things are
driven somewhere else and the general
progress of the state in traffic and popula-
ton is greatly retarded. The one remedy
to be offered of paramount importance, in
deed is the completion of a durable, strong
and efficient system of public highways
and county roads. But how Is this to be
done? AT present an overseer is appointed
for n certuin portion of "A road and the citi.
zens benefited by that portion between
certain ages are compelled to expcnd so
many days labor thereon, or furnish
a hand or so much money in lieu.
Those who can afford it pay the money, a
triiling sum, while the poor and needy do
the work. 1t is "A thankless and to them
purely compulsory labor, amounting to
about $40 year in value, and is nccessa-
rily done in careless and imperfect man
ner. SO far as the roads are built or re-
paired at all, 1t is done by the poorer class
es without pay, for the benefit of the rich
planter near by who feels none of the in.
convcnienccs and hardships of this one.
sided inefficient and cruel law. When the
poll.tax is added we can see how much in
taxes the poor pay annually toI
literally nothing. SO long as such
is the law, we can never hope to have
good roads and the attendant blessings. II
is therefore the part of wisdom to change
the statutes in this particular, and no NOR,
sensible plan or one promising greater sus
cess has suggested itself to us than that
which proposes to levy specific bridge ant
road tax. The men then who have prop
crty and business and nationally anC
naturally, would enjoy the advantage of ,
good road system, would construct i
and keep IL in repair, To u just mar
it seems to us this would appear as tn,
only just plan. An officer, with pay, coul,
then be created by the various county
courts to handle this tax in the mainte
nance of the county roads and who coulC
be held responsible for their condition. BN
judicilus expenditures competent work
men and engineers could be secured at re-
muneratye wages, and splendid system
of highways be maintained. The inelli
cheney and injustice and inequality of tn
present law would then be removed
and Texas, in two years from date
wouli feel the pulsation of anew life. w,
have time and again advocated good road
and called attention TO the subject but nov
that the legislature is in session, the pres
cnt is most opportunc occasion to refer t
the matter once more, The people OF
North Texas at least are interested aud
aroused in the premises and our representa-
tivcs could do no more popular thing thar
secure for us n road tax. We trust the eff
forts in that direction at Austin have moi
closed, for this is one of the most importan
ofall matters affecting our peoples con.
venicncc and our states growth.
JupGH WYLIE In the criminal court of th,
District of Columbia very properly in
IN anla iule,in., fr,n, k,a rnc,.o1 o.. A