Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1885-11-12
STONE ROADS.

ED. NORTHWEST We have no desire to
pursue the discussion of the road question
further than to have the facts stand out in
their true light before the people, and heart
lily endorse improvements, both public and
private, in the proper way and at the proper
time, according to the necessities of The case
and means to be applied without seriously
crippling much more important demands up
on the peoples purses, and it is well known
fact that to-day two-thirds of the tax payers
OF this county are struggling in their might,
and living on the husks in their own families
and selling their ear of corn they SO much
need to scrape up money to pay taxes already
piled up before them, and it is no idle asser-
tion that capital is all the time passing by and
going around Henry county on account of its
pa lperized condition by excessive demands
upon the people, one thing tapping on to
another, buyers with money are afraid to in
vest here. What we see and hear we know,
and it cannot be denied that our farms and
other property is deprecated seriously in
value on account of the administration of our
affairs and the jobbery which has character
lied them.
With all these facts in prominent view is it
not time for the people to cry halt for the
present, when another scheme is being press
ed by elastic consciences to plunge them
deeper and deeper into ruin for things that
can better be postponed until their heavy bur
dens already being borne shall be compare
lively lightened. Itispretty hard for men with
helpless families to see the Sheriff sell them
out to pay taxes for Improvements that can
better be avoided The people had better get
along with common roads than to have stone
roads and lose their farms. Individually, it
is a bad 6nancier that will cucumber his farm
70 build mansion or other improvement up
IN il that will swallow up both, and the ad-
ininistration Of public affairs is upon the same
principle, and how often individuals and cor
porations are swamped by maladministra-
ton.
Now, we ask the Commissioners not to rush
in haste and commence regular series Of
taxation upon the whole county that the great
majority cannot possibly reap the benefit Of
their money paid out for years and years to
come. The expense of stone roads will be
enormous at best, and If the improvement
could be equitably proportioned the people
stand in 80 much greater need of home i'm
provements for the actual necessaries and
comforts Of life, let necessities first be needed
and cared for that interests the whole people.
We hear no complaint from the most remote
quarters that they cannot get to the county
seat, upon whom the great burden Of travel
devolves, end why is it that a few shall SO in
terest themselves in majority affairs, if they
have no axeto grind.
Mr.. Editor, allow one word more, with ref
erence to the parallels you cite, with county
fund, which we think are not well taken, and
which you will allow us to prove in this con
nection. The bridges built with general fund
over the natural streams are supposed to be
similarly distributed throughout the county,
all receiving due attention, each and every
portion Of the county enjoying their due pro-
portion at the same time as years pass by,
which cannot be argued on the stone road
question under the present law, for reasons
already given, hence your argument as par
allel cases falls to the ground. The commu-
nication in last weeks Signal is but an ex-
plosion Of d bag Of wind, or air bubble; no
argument whatever, and we pass it by un-
worthy of reply, EQuITr.