The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1892-10-13
A Prominent Missourian
Discusses Roads.
The Government Should
Foster Them.

roads have been carefully and
thoroughly discussed in these pages
for the past few months. The
question of ways and means has been
touched but lightly if at all. These
methods, advanced by Hon. j. l..
Irwin, president of the Missouri State
Dairy Association, present themselves
for adoption.
First, by organization Of cor
porations and the building Of toll
roads. This has been done to very
limited extent. Henry Clay, nearly
three fourths of century ago,
pointed out the difficulty in the way
of building corporate roads. He
says; "The aggregate benefit result
ing to society from public improve
ment may be such as to amply
Justify the investment of capital,
and yet the benefits may be so
distributed that they can never be
got to act in concert. The benefit
resulting from turnpike road made
by private association is divided
between the capitalist, who receives
the tolls, and the lands through
which the road passes, which are
augmented in value, and the COM
modities whose value is enhanced
because of diminished expense in
transportation. This method has
never become popular.
The second is a direct tax each
year used in extending the roads
little by little. This method is sc
slow and costly that it can never
become general. There is clearly
e but one method by which system o.
roads can be economically built ant
! the burden of construction equitabl,
d distributed among those who hav'
i received the benefit, and that is, b.
bonds running a series of years
o issued as the work of construction
:. goes on.
- The benefcent hand of the genera
IS government is so clearly felt an
Is seen in our public school system
Is our post office system, our improve
~ ment of rivers and harbors, ou
to Federal courts, that it seems to m
.. .. wise and proper that the nations
80 Government is in proper position
80 inaugurate wise system Of roa
Improvement. My plan would be
w enact a national road law, settir
o5 forth clearly specifications for co..
81 structions, superintendent, ETC., Il
A. the acceptance of the States al
Of Of territories; the payment OF the intere
on bonds to be issued by the Stat
en- and territories for road constructs
rec by the national Government for
sis 4s series of years. This would secure
low rate of interest and secure t
ooi ooi sale of the bonds at par, sufficient
rapid construction to be economic
w abundance of time to dischar
90 present obligations, thorough a
90 harmonious system of roa'
M Suppose national law was pass
90 agreeing to pay three and one-b
l.. 90 per cent. interest on bonds to
20 issued by the State, face payable
the State to the amount of double
tate population of the State by the cen
of 1890, to run not less than fift
C in nor more that thirty years, each yt
af- for five wears. And we take MissC
and for an example, The population
the Missouri is, in round numbers,
it $50, 900. This would give Misst
cted something over IS, 900, 600 each J
lien for period Of five years, or 8
wing 800, 600 of debt at the end OF
man years. Should every State in
and Union accept the proposition
wife interest charge for the first
wing would be about four and two-fi
when millions of dollars. The revt
up, from spirits and tobacco would es
some meet this interest. In fifteen ys
e at at the present rate Of paym
nped almost all state, municipal and co
v his debts will be paid. Taking
t the taxable increase Of wealth from
eased State from 1870 to 1890, tw
nedi- years, as likely to continue, an
and fifteen years the taxable wealth
be 81, 100000, 600. Supposing