Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-02-18
OUR NAIL POUCH.
The Questlou Of Road improvement From n
Taxpayers StandpoIut.
To the Editor og Tl,a T1f.1..L

The Question Of Road improvement From n
Taxpayers standpOInr.
To the Editor OF The Dispatch:
have been reading with much interest the
communications in The DISPATCH in regard
to more stringent road legislation, and must
confess have been amazed at the innocence of
certain gentlemen who have been writing Of
macadamized roads, ETC., etc. Our system of
road making has been compared to the English
and other continental systems without taking
into consideration the fact that our country Is
comparatively new, and also comparatively
thinly settled. England is densely settled, and
her population is not OF yesterday. For loo
years the road making of England has been GO
ing on. and then the English people are not
subject to the same conditions that our people
are.
A certain railroad magnats writes Of our
road making as If it we're railroad building, tor
getting that the great corporate monopolies
have the legal right to rob the dear working
men" in order to pay themselves hundred
the farmers Of Pennsylvania are the worst op-
pressed people in the nation; taxed TO protect
every one in the realm but themselves.
He pays enormous taxes on everything he
has, while the rich and prosperous monopolist
is taxed almost nothing. The poor working
man must pay tax on his penury, while the
rich man rolls In his wealth untaxed. or almost
so. And now we are told that laws ought to be
enacted TO compel the farmers to make good
roads for those gentlemen to exercise their nne,
fast stock upon. Let US look at the practical
side OF this question and get a common sense
idea Of what all this means.
Take an average township of say Westmore-
land county. and apply this macadamized road
theory to il, and see how it will work. Say
there are 10 miles of road in the township. To
build road such as these gentlemen have been
advocating would cost at least s26 per rod, or
Sl24,S00. Now how are these people to do this
when the average farmer does not make per
cent per annum on his farm, aud not in 30
make s per cent Many of them scarcely make
lends meet" Can they neglect every other
road, or rather every other mile of road,
in order to get one mile made in &C
cordance with the theories Of these gentlemen
Then they would compel the road tax to be
paid in money; and this would mean that a
large part of it would 60 to the pocket Of the
party politician. The system OF party eorrup-
tion with which this people have been made
acquainted has been sufficient warning to the
industrious tollers of this country. so that they
will not be likely to sanction anything that will
rlvet still tighter their chains. Our people
must try to keep their roads Passable all the
year around; and In order to do so they must
look after every part Of them. One part cannot
be neglected in order that another shall have
finely macadamized roads. Nor can a large
number Of our people be LEFT 20 struggle along
IN mud in order that the ''blooded gentry"
may have fine drives upon which to disport
themselves.
Who is it. pray, that is demanding this new
and oppressive legislation Not the farmer;
not the workingman. When the farmers de-
mand such legislation. then it will be time
enough to urge 1t vehemently; and when their
necessities require it. they will make the de-
mand.
At the figures we have mentioned 1t would
mean for a county like Westmoreland over
1000, and how this amount additional to
the taxes already levied and necessary to keep
up the roads now laid out. as well as those to
be laid out as the necessities of the growing
population requires is to be raised, is question
well worth considering by the gentlemen who
are urging this additional legislation.
We need good roads, and we would be re-
ioiced to see them as soon as our struggling
people can build them, but we must remember
our embarrassments and deal Justly by the op-
pressed and over-taxed rural districts.
see one of your correspondents says the
roads are as bad in summer as in winter.
suppose he does not expect anyone to believe
him, and If he does he certainly will be disap-
pointed for every sensible person knows better.
Many Of our country roads are delightful drives
in summer, as anyone can testify who has
travelled through sthe country to any extent
Many of them are only tOleTaDle, but our farm
eTs like good roads as well as any class of men
living, and can be depended to get them at the
earliest possible moment.
1t may be the next Legislature will pass the
required law, but you may depend upon it it
will be the political death warrant of three out
of every fYe, who vote for it among the Sena-
tors and Representatives. Let us be just and
bear each others burdens and so fulfill the
law. -.--.r, LEO REX.
WILKINsBuRG, Febrnary17.