The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1895-05-03
LIVE ISSUES.
rlACADArlIZED ROADS.
The Negative Side of the Question
BY VIM. f. GILLESPIE.

L
the county roads should be macad-
amized," held at West Nottingham
few weeks ago:
The question is: Should the pub
lie roads of Cecil county be macad-
amized? This question like many
others may be viewed in two diff
ferent aspects: list. 1t is right and
commendable to have good roads.
Oh yes, we will all agree to that,
but it is neither right or commend
able in us to incur an expense in
making them so that we shall never
be able to pay. A man may be
unwell and his friends, if he has
any, will advise him to send for a
physician, and it is proper for him
to do so if he can pay the doctor for
his services, but if he cannot it
would he more honorable at least to
let nature take its course rather
than do him an injustice. Per-
haps in many cases it would be
best to do this at any rate. q hope
there are no medical men present
Tt is the latter view | take of this
question. | will not enter into a
detail of the meaning of the word
macadamize, it being derived from
the name of the protector of the
system, MacAdam; my predecessor
has already done so. Neither will
we of the negative attempt to con-
vince you that it is much more
pleasant to drive over muddy roads
than over those that have been
macadamized, but we hope to con-
vince you that this great work is
not feasible. The question of i'm
proving our roads has engaged the
mind of a great many persons in
our county especially during the
winter and spring months when
they are at their worst. We say
that it is not feasible in view of the
tremendous expense we should in
cur. We have in our county about
700 miles of public highways. To
macadamize them would cost the
tax payers at least $4,000 per mile.
At this rate the sum total would be
81, 100000. Should this amount of
money be borrowed on county
bonds, say at 4 per cent, the in
terest would amount to $50, 1000
annually. This amount of interest
in addition to the tax rate of nearly
100 cents on the 500 would make
our taxes very heavy. Perhaps
those ofthe affirmative will say that
these figures are entirely too high,
that the work can be done for much
less. 1t may be they can be stoned
for less, but if MacAdam should
arise out of his grave and inspect
them he would undoubtedly regard
the whole thing as a caricature.
l have spoken of the interest only
as added to our rate of taxation as
being oppressive. Now how shall
the principal be paid? Certainly
this generation could never cancel
such an Indebtedness. Some prob
ably will suggest that sinking
fund be created and pay it off
gradually as the bonds matured,
even then we would be imposing a
tax on our posterity. Now the
question comes up, has county
through its Commissioners, cor
poration or an individual a right to
incur debt they know they can
never pay, and saddle the same on
those who follow after them? | say
it is wrong. The law which is pre-
sumed at least to be founded on
justice makes no such demand, not
holding the son responsible for his
fathers debts. If this is not taxa
ton without representation, it is
virtually the same thing. Should
the Siirmative attempt in part to
dodge the question by saying the
roads of the lower Districts need
not be macadamized, and then cut
down greatly the sum total of the
expense, do they imagine that the
tax payers of those districts would
be willing to assume their proper
ton of Indebtedness while receiving
no benefit? Our prime object in
selecting men for the Commission,
ers' office is to get those who will
represent the interests of the whole
county to secure equal appropria-
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