The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1893-01-05

difficulty in the way of road improve
mcnt is not to be found in the inherent,
defects of present laws or in the inabil-
itv of legislators to make better ones,
but in the Indifference of the gen.
eral public upon the subject. This
Indifference is not total, but there
seems to be a Discrimination to take
the necessary steps to secure reform
in road-making and admin istration be-
cause of the fear of the amount OF
money necessary to be spent IN order
TO secure thoroughly good road. 10
overcome this reluctance there has hot
been as yet developed any such senth
ment as that which calls for liberal ex-
penditures, say, for the maintenance of
schools and of the defective and de-
pendent classes. There IS, then. this
difference on the part of the people at
large to be overcome. I'm order TO over
come it the writer says those who adj
vocate a reform in the mode OF lay
ing out, constructing and repairing
our public roads must shosFS and
are responsible for showing, to-
the people that their direct and
immediate pecuniary interests are in
volved and will be subserved by rad
zeal change in every department of
road management. 1t must be made
plain in the first place that it is not
true that the multiplica ton of our rail-
roads has done away with the neces-
sity for an improvem ent In the COM
mon roads of the country. The re-
verse is the case, for, as I he writer says,
while the railroads only each the CEN
ters of population and ira Sic, they have
multiplied the number OF those who
travel for pleasure and for business as
well as the amount of traffic ia 'ansported
from the country to the great centers of
trade. a hundred-fcl within the last
fifty wears. In order to Sc
cure good roads there must be changes
in the existing laws in almost every
part of the country. Ten. Beaver
however, does not look for any sweep
ing reform. and indeed does not regard
it as practicable in view of existing
conditions He holds to the idea that
| any simple plan which will secure Ihe
location of road by a competent en- u
neer. and its construction by q mara
| who is familiar with the principles of,
road-making and is able to give to the
community one hundred cents of
value for every dollar expend-
ed, will teach the results at
| present desirable and attaina-
BILE One fundamental defect in
existing laws to which attention is
called by the writer, and which has
been repeatedly remarked upon by
others, is the process of working otrt
the road tax which is in vogue in many
| places Under this system repairs are
made where they are least needed, the
smallest amount of work for the least
possible amount of pay is secured, and
| in general the roads are located by
| those who have no large experience in
engineering and who prefer to accomIno-
date their neighbors by following the
property lines between them or making
| the road near or distant as may suit their
convenience rather than to consult the
good of the public. A short but i'm
portant step in the direction of reform.
could be taken wherever the system of
working out the road tax prevails by
compelling all taxes for road purposes
to be paid in money rs other taxes are
paid. If that could be done, and if the
money tax resulting could be expended
in each municipality by one man of
good common sense, the people could,
the writer suggests, be prepared III u
very few years for another step for.
| ward. Dixie Farmer.