The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1895-01-16

farm work is suspended we might do
hauling Of some kind if the roads
were passible Instead Of which the
stock must stand idly in the stable
not earning the food they consume
Say there are thirty such days in the
year and that each horse could earn
fifty cents day by working, and we
have loss of $1,000 for each horse
per year If there were 10000
horses in this State these idle thirty
days out Of year it would represent
an annual loss of 100000.
There are very many other ways
whereby good roads would result in
saving to the country, but now the
question arises; how are we to
realize money to pay for the building
of such roads. The question is
easily solved, but first we must do
away with the present system Of
working the roads Of South Carolina,
and institute one in it's stead that is
capable of producing better results.
The law requiring a number of days
work from all those liable to road
duty puts the work into mex
perienced and unskillful hands.
Often the road is no better after it
has been worked than it was before.
if it is lucky enough to get worked
at all. Experience, which has been
paid for dearly, shows that the pres
ent system of working the roads has
accomplished no improvement The
roads generally are no better to-day
than they were fifty years ago it is
time that the people recognize the
necessity of a better condition for
our public roads.
The population of this State is
about l, 100 900, and it would be a
safe estimate to say that one-ffth Of
this number, equal to $4,000, were
between the ages of twenty-one and
sixty. Instead Of requiring road
duty let each male between these
ages be taxed a certain amount per
year, say So 90. There are few who
would not be glad to be relieved
from the irksome duty Of working
the roads or providing substitute.
This tax would realize 1886, 900 90
per year.
Since real estate is directly bene-
fitted by good roads, let there be put
on all such property an advalorem
tax of one-ifth Of one per cent.
This would amount to s2,Go0.o0 on
every one million dollars worth of
property, while the value of the
property would be greatly increased.
AS the cities and towns would be
benefited as we'll by the improved
roads, it is only fair that the tax on
property should be applied to them
as we'll, while the individual tax
could be pro6tably applied on the
city streets. Let the funds thus ac-
cumulated be spent upon our roads
by the employment OF skilled ana
able engineers and experienced
workmen. When once built the
cost of maintenance for frst-class
roads is reduced to a minimum.
The State could not fail to realize
benefits from such reform. The
cost of living would be lesseoed
farming would be more profitable
than it now is desire for finer
breed of horses would be created /;
and the poorly fed and over-worked
stock would have better chance TOR
their condition to be improved.
There would be pleasure in coun,
try travel, and bicycles could be
used with profit as we'll as for pleas
ure. The prosperity of the State
would be improved in more ways
than can be enumerated, and dull
times" and financial depression"
would become obsolete terms.
Let US hope chat the people will
soon realize the Importance of such
reform, and suiting the action to
the thought, put their shoulders to
the wheel and bring it out of the
mire of our present bad roads.
isaac HARDY.