Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1895-03-05
Ibe ROAD PROBLEM.

intfc u tp-uaN Db tttupultC piouiVu'
of greater Importance, or having more
direct bearing upon all the people OF this
state, than this relating 10 our highways.
Because generations have passed under
existing conditions, there Is no reason
why generations more should come and
90 before any advance Is made. At the
same time there l. need that haste be
made slowly, and that the so-called ad-
yauced ideas of wouldbe reformers be
accepted only when wisdom has deter
mined their course 10 be the best.
| Ultimately, there must come radical
/ change in our methods OF road building
In order for permsnence To be insured.
More than this, the fact that other
states are giving attention 10 this ques-
/ tion, and going about the work With
some thought OF thoroughness, we must
no; allow Maine to lag behind. Inc
value OF ali property la every town " III
! Increase prvportionstcly with the lm-
proyement of our highways, provided
/ that Improvement l. made without en-
failing heavy burdens upon tax payers.
Justice demands that there he decided
advance In methods of road building,
and also that this be made so gradually
as not TO burden the country towns.
Ii has become fashionable to create
debts for others 10 pay, and towns, eoun-
ties and states as well "a corporations
have flooded the land with their out
standing obligations until the sum total
of Indebtedness is appalling, aud some
body must pay the bills or there viii be
widespread disaster.
Town bonds, imp ovement bonds,
water bonds, bridge bonds. horse and
electric bonds, city and town hall bonds,
together With all the conceivable forms OF
corporation bonds, 10 run twenty, forty
or sixty years, are on the market. The
interest account IL not heavy 10 the indi-
vidual, aud men forget that the principal
j. outstanding TO be mer some day In
full. For this reason we may well call a
halt in this matter of road commission
of three, each one TO receive good sal
ary, and the issuing of highway bonds
at the rate of five or ten thousand dol
lars per mile.
Grant that this l. an ideal position, II
l. not one hich commends Itself To tie
good sense IL the tax payers, and must
therefore. wait as IL should until the
means and measures now NJ hand and in
yolving no Increased outlay have been
utilized To the utmost.
IL the present legislature will enact
the following lst, make the highway
money tax; ~. authorize each town 10
employ AN efficient road supervisor; Sd,
require the county commissioners 10
have general knowledge Of the character
of work done In each town; lth, that
all carts shall have tires st least four
inches Ia width, aud this 20 be increased
To six inches. according 20 the carrying
capacity Of the cart, aud that the rear
axle shall be enough longer than the front
Ia allow the hind wheels TO travel just
outside the forward-enough will toe
gained TO insure radical change In the
condition of our highways. These four
steps towards better roads are the first
which should be taken, and they will
insure results beyond present COM
prehension, while not increasing the
burdens Of taxation. They will increase
the hauling capacity OF every team,
because every cart becomes roller
IN stead of rut maker, and there
fore serves its purpose in giving
hard track for the wheels. Three, four
and even five tons are not unusual
sights In some countries, for single
horse, where wide tires aud smooth
roads prevail.
Give Us better roads by requiring that
the tax now assessed be made available
To the utmost. and that loaded teams as-
-ist IN perfectipg the work of road build
ing-MNiue Farmer.