The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1888-02-02
PUBLIC ROADS.
THE NEED OF BETTER ONES IN
THIS STATE.
An Impostant Question for North Car
olina to Consider.

oiina to Consider.
We know Of nothing Of more interest
just at this time, to the people gener-
ally than the question OF public roads,
therefore We make no excuse for giving
space to the following from the State
Chronicle report Of the recent Farmers
Convention at Greensboro:
The next question Of interest, as it
appeared to me, was the discussion of
the public roads and how to make
them better. Capt. S. B. Alexander,
chairman Of the committee, made 4
most interesting and instructive ad-
dress on the subject Of roads. We re.
call few of his statements and will
give them to the Chronicle readers
He said, among other things:
1t is the duty Of the State to keep
up the public roads because they are
necessary for all business and are a
criteion of civilization. There are
but three ways Of keeping up the
roads:
Ist-By taxing labor and only the
country labor.
and-By taxing labor and property.
3rd-By taxing property alone.
The first is failure. Under it the
entire burden falls upon the farmers.
Men who live in town escape. City
folks have an idea that calling out the
country people to work on the public
roads is privilege. They do not
put proper estimate upon this labor
Before 1873 twelve days labor was re-
quired. There were 10000 men
thus employed for twelve days. At
81. per day that amounted to $Iao, 900
all of it payed by the farmers to
keep up the public roads. In 1879 a
new road law was passed. 1t provided
that each man should do at least three
days work on the road-more if neces-
sary. Under this law, in some coun-
ties, men were worked IS and sc
days. At the special session of theI-egis-
lature (when the W. N. c. X. K. was
sold) the limit was fixed at sixty days.
or at $4,000 per year, paid entirely
by farmers. This is more than all the
State taxes, part Of which the farmer
pays. 1t is wrong said Capt. Alex.
ander, ard I said " Amen and amen.
There never was any Justification ir
making poor man work as much and
pay as much tax to keep up the road:
as rich man it is 4 monstrous unfair
taxation and it must be changed
Property ought to bear part Of the ex
pense. A wheel tax would be bette
than the present unjust law.
The second way is by taxing labo
and property. This is the system
now adopted in Mecklengburg ane
Forsyth. 1t ought to be everywhere
Under this system every man work
four days in the year and tax 0
from seven to ten cents is levied OF
the $Ioo. This is the best system 70
North Carolina, and the most just ant
equitable. The third way is by taxa
ton alone. This is the best system
OF ALL said Capt. Alexander, "but j
is impracticable in North Carolina tn
committee recomends that the mixet
system he adopted"
Upon the question Of working con
victs on the public roads. the commit
tee thought that it was i,npracticable
Charlotte township has tried it and
did not pay because the stockade ha
to be too far from the work. tn
work can almost be done as cheap b
free labor.
In conclusion, Capt. Alexande
said that good roads secure the he.
class Of emigrants, promote sociabilit!
and further business, but that legisl:
, tors are as afraid of road law as I
ga dog law" The committee re'
/ comends thought, study, education
. "Agitate, agitate, agitate" will atos
. bring good roads.
. Gen. R. Barringer, large taxpay'
I of Mecklenburg, endorsed every wo'
! Capt. Alexander said, and added tn;
: every sensible man in Mecklenbul
bears testimony to the fact that Il
t mixed system works we'll in Meckle'
s burg.