The Ottawa free trader., 1886-05-15

cannot always be in the center Of a township
however If on one side, half the township
loses interest in it; well. in case, what shall
| be ioneg
Let it be supposed now that the power to
do is eoextensive, or nearly 80, with the in
terest of the people who exercise that power
| t. e., that the tax to he voted is to be ex-
pended ia the improvement Of the roads in
which the voters have decided common in.
terest. In such case all powerful influences
bear toward the desired end. In such case
we harness all the united motives Of public
spirit, love Of ease and comfort and all the
pure selfsness that exists in community to
the one great end and aim. In such case
we use the most powerful lever and we max e
things move in the most successful manner
There may be differences of opinion as to
how the work should proceed, but all will
agree that in some way it must be done
When once the public are differing only as
TO the method, different means will be adopt
ed to meet varying views, and the process
of education, and work as well, will go
bravely on.
What then is the remedy? In view of
what has been stated the answer is plain
So frame the law that n community interested
in certain line of travel may constitute a
road district, and may tax itself to build or
repair the roads its voters and taxpayers
travel This would really be more produc
tive of results and do more, in the judgment
of the writer, to solve the main problem in
question, viz that of permanent roads TO
market, than ANY other one thing, Still, in
one respect, even this would be wrong and
unjust because it assumes that the great
burden of making permanent roads ought
almost entirely to be borne by the localities
in which they are situated. In every country
and in every age, and not the less so in our
day of railroads and general advancement,
it has been and is considered of great general
interest to a commonwealth to have leading
to its market uniform system of good, dur
able roads the year round This principle
of the general public interest has been re.
cognized in this state by laws compelling
counties TO contribute aid to bridges of GER
tai size and cost. 1t is no more applicable
to bridges than to certain important and
needful highways. The merchant the bank
err the professional man, the capitalist, all
establishments Tor the manufacture of the
different kinds of farm machinery especially,
and others generally and all transportation
properties are interested in this great work
to a very decided extent Whether this
general interest be as great as that assumed
in bridges Of certain size may be a question,
but that a certain share and a considerable
share, too, ought to be provided for nj gen.
eral expense cannot certainly be questioned.
Let it be assumed that the intent and pur.
pose of those who framed the present system
Of road laws was correct, viz: that the gen
eral burden of keeping the natural road beds
of all highways in order should be borne by
counties and towns, in their present form
The farmers of the state are very rapidly do
ing about all that can be done in that direc
ton They have learned that the natural
surface, broad enough for several tracks,
with the water cenered in tiles three or four
feet deep, leaving n wide, dry and often
sOdlei surface, is desirable substitute for
the old plan of attempting to lift the road
bed out Of the mud by means Of two open
bitches, generally full of water, and a
ploweI ridge wide enough for one track be-
tween for travel. Under the present law, this
work Of tiling can proceed. II is amusing,
however, to notice how much Of this work is
due to the principle of selfshness already
alluded to- The immense advantage of a
welldraned road along a mans farm gives
the motive power. | have heard that in
some states, OF course not in ours, highway
are elected upon the issue Of
tiling certain localities in their townships
AS soon rs the Office can be distributed
around the towns, giving each neighborhood
a turn, the work viii be well and completely
done. | think this plan, devised by nobody,
wholly accidental, good one, "a it works
well III securing completion Of whole sys.
TENS of tiling at once instead of piece
When this work is completed but little re
mains possible under the present law. Of
course the labor system can still be used to
enable many to pay their tax, scour their
plows and spoil the roads, all at once, if that
is desirable.
1t may he said that after speaking SO freely
of what the law ought to be, this paper
should present some practical methods of
amendment At the risk of assuming the
province and knowledge of law maker the
following suggestions are offered:
First--Give county boards the power and
make it their duty, when properly applied
to, in a way to be provided, to form perma-
nent or hard road districts, without regard
to county or town lines These districts
should only include communities interested
in a certain improvement line OF travel to
market. They should have the power to
formulate and carry forward any system of
permanent road building they may desire
Second-Provide, as in case of bridges
that a certain per cent. of the cost per mile
of permanent road, when finished and ap-
proved by proper commission, shall be re-
funded to such hard road districts by the
county board.
Third-Provide also by state tax, for the
payment of a certain per centage of the cost
of every FIVE miles Of such road when the
same is completed and approved by aproper
commission.
Of course there would be opposition to this
last provision and am not tenacious about
it. Can it be denied, however, that this
plan if in operation would start the ball roll
ing in every direction of the state and in
every part Of every county? Does it contem.
plate anything more dangerous than the sim
gle payment of the cost of the most desirable
thing this convention aims at by all the
property interested and in fair proportions ,
have sought to present the difficulties in
volved in the leading machinery by which
farmers are expected to mend the highways
/