The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1884-08-13
The Road Laws.

MCMEEKIN, FLA, August 0, 1894.
Editor PALATEA NEWS
In your editorial of the 8th inst, many !
impol can't subjects are mentioned, which !
will cleim the attention of the next leg
islature, among them is the " Road
Law" so called.
1t occurs to the writer that all public
measures requiring the action of the leg
islature should be discussed by the can
didates and by the citizens, so that the
:" will of the people may be deter
mined in regard to the matter. Then
our legislators would have some guide
beyond their own opinions in the
matter.
The writer, therefore, proposes to say
something about the Road Law" The
question on this subject seems to be,
should our public highways be kept in
repair by taxation alone, instead of by
personal service as at present? a vely
important question.
1t is the opinion of the writer, that
public roads should be kept up by both
personal service, or communication there
for. and by taxation. What are public
roads for, and whom do they benefit?
They are to facilitate travel and trans
| portation from point to point, and they
benefit all who live in their vicinity, as
well as others. who have occasion to use
| them. They are a benefit TO persons as
we'll as to property They are a benefit
to all occupations, to all business. It is
fair aud right to require a personal ser
vice or its equivalent to keep them up,
and Justice demands that property and
occupation also should contribute its
quota. but generally, occupation and
property are so intimately connected
that property is required tomeet the tax.
From the nature of the circumstances
there cannot be an entirely fair eXaction
of personal services only, but fairness
and justice can be approached much
nearer than under the law now in force.
Under the operation of the present law
all persons liz ing in the limits of incOr-
porated towns and cities are exempt from
road duty. Considering the fact, that
nearly half of the population of the state
is in incoIp orated towns, the great in
Justice of this law becomes apparent.
Why should the people of incol porated
towns be exempt from road duty: The
argument used is that they have theil
streets to keep up, and hence should not
be required to do road duly. If the ar
ednent is sound, then the property il
incorporated towns should not be taxed
for county government because tn,
people in these towns have a municipal
government to support, and the proper ty
in the towns should not be taxed to buil(
bridges. because the streets are to be KEEP
in repair: and should it become law Il
t keep up the public highways by taxation
alone, the same reasoning used to show
why the citizens of incorporated town
should be exempt from road duty. woul,
r be equally good to exempt the propert,
of incorporated towns from taxation fo
: road purposes. 1t must he apparent Z
any reasonable person, that if the peopl
CT Incorporated towns are justly exemp
from road duty. that the property o
such towns should be exempt from roat
or bridge tax. And if the people o
property of incorporated towns are justl
t exempt from the the tax and duty of aid
+. ing to keep in repair the public high
5 ways, it must be on the ground tina
e they are in no way benefited by thes
n highways. Well, if they are not bene
fitted by the public roads then, Of course