The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-09-13
The Road Law in Rockbrldge.


The Road Law in Rockbrldge.
The Bourbons of Rockbridge are as
suming virtue that does not belong to
them. Their candidates for the Legisla-
ture have announced themselves against
the present public road system, when driv-
en- to it by the Coalitionists, although they
belong to q party that enacted it
The Republicans had instituted the town.
ship system, which gave to each township
the power to levy a tax on real property to
improve it's own roads. The great Con-
sentative party repealed this and enacted
the present system, which mainly rests the
burden OF keeping the public highways in
repair upon those who never use them.
Each male person over sixteen years
OF age and under sixty is required to
work the roads SO many days in the
year, and they may be required to work
them every day in the year, OF
pay a certain stipulated sum in de-
fault Of personal services. The owner
OF farm, with horses and wagons to
use the roads, pays the same that poor
man. who has neither horses, wagon nor
land, and may never travel except on foot.
This law was passed for the express pur-
pose of relieving property Of it's just tax
ation and transferring it to persons for
the benefit of property. 1t has been in
operation now for nearly ten years, al
though time and again has the attention
Of the Legislature been called to it's injus-
tice and oppression. Not until the Bour-
hons were driven out of power because of
this class legislation, do we find them CIV
ing even q passing noticeto this important
subject. The primary object of the law,
like that Of the capitation tax restriction
on the ballot. was to Cypress the poor man
and restrict his privileges. When it comes
to shoulderinga musket OF working the
nized for service, but when it comes to
casting ballot and to that degree par
ticipating lin the making OF the laws by
which he is to be governed, dollar
price is fixed on it, He is required to
work for the benefit of the property
owner. and keep the roads in repair for the
benefit of those who are able to pay for
such improvements contribute the
same as those to whom good roads are in
dispensable, and yet, by reason OF poverty,
must be deprived Of his vote. because he
could not pay a dollar for the privilege, af-
ter having devoted his labor for the relief
OF property in the improvement of the
roads. Notwithstanding this record of
public wrongs, sthose who represent the
party that inflicted them, now come to the
front and ask to be entrusted with power
again because they allege they are in favor
OF changing this system, and relieving
the poor Of this onerous burden.
We do not know what Mr. Frazier's 4
relations to the road law applicable to
llockbridge county were OF are. We do
know that the present system is of Bour-
bon origin, substituted fora just and equi-
table law, that required those who had
use for the public roads to keep them in
repair and that it is in keeping with the |
desiJpa Of those who inaugurated Ito place |
ttiluuC etllu ttllJtlot UlIllCllo upOl bilC pUUl
people of the State. We know that Mr.. |
Frazier is identified with party whose
mission it is to correct these wrongs, and |
chat if elected to the Legislature he will do |
I'll in his power to institute system of |
public woodworking that will justly dis
tribute the burdens it imposes. We know
hat Messrs. Anderson and Paxton repre-
sent Il party which is responsible for all
he wrongs and expressions that the peo-
de have suffered, and if they now re-
vent Oh the acts Of that party, it is because
hey have been driven to it by the force of
diversity and the conviction that there is
10 hope for them except in adopting the
'olicy of the party they oppose.
The people Of Rockbridge are not igno-
ant Of the record Of the Bourbons on the
uestion of the road law, nor are they in
ensible to the reforms which have been
ffected by the Coalition. They know
Ihich to trust and will,We have no doubt,
mpllasize this knowledge III the election
Frazier and Hieman.