The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1896-06-19

EDITOR ERALD:-In the last
issue of the HERALD appeared a
card from Mr.. Horace Rainey to the
County Court, relative to the pur
chase of the turnpikes under his
control, by the county. | note that
he reminds the court that he means
business, and that he is willing to
close out to the county at one half
of the real value of the pixies.
This appears to me to be matter
that should meet the serious con-
sideratiOn of our magistrates, and
at their next meeting in July, this
matter Of having free roads should
come up and be conside cred seriously
and intelligently.
In a former article on this subject
l advocated their purchase and
ownership by the county, and l still
advocate it, as matter Of public
good because I believe in freedom
in all things consistent with the
best interests of all the people, be-
cause l believe in free speech, free
concience, and free use of the high
ways, without being coerced into
paying for privilege that is en-
joyed freely by the people of nearly
every other state in the union.
1 am for the people always and all
the time against any combination
that smacks of monopoly; for what
is best for the people is best for me.
One of the principle reasons why /
advocate this purchase is from an
economical standpoint. Every tax
payer knows that the county levies
road tax which they are obliged to
pay, be it great or small in amount,
and in addition to this, his pikeage
must be paid though the heavens
fall. The people of the county are
the ones most directly interested in
free roads, for the reason that by
having them, they are the greatest
beneficiaries. Let any one who has
any considerable business to look
after in the course of the year, sit
down and strike an average of his
trips over the toll roads, and he will
be surprised at how rapidly the tax
for use of them amounts up. This,
when added to his state and county
taxes, will show the percentage that
| each individual contributes to the
purposes of government and for a
luxury that might be made to bear
equally upon all without any reduc-
tion in rapidity or comforts of
travel.
I advocate free roads because they
make near neighbOrs, and near mar
kets; because it lessons taxes upon
the people, (pikeage is nothing more
or less than taxi because the free
roads would represent Il saving of at
least 81 900 per month to the people
of this county. / advocate it be-
cause the farmer cannot add his
pikeage to his load of wheat, corn,
potatoes or hay, but is obliged to sell
it on an open market governed by
the law of supply and demand, with
out regard to the cost of bringing
his products to market. The mer-
chant adds the per cent to the cost
price of his goods to cover transpor-
tation, and his profit then comes on
top of chat and the consumer pays
the freight; but the farmer not only
pays the transportation on the goods
he buys, but he pays the freight on
the goods he sells, and this question
of marketing his goods is to him a
serious one.
A practical road builder with the
road machines now in use, could be
found who will under n five or ten
year contract, agree to keep the
pixies in repair and extend them tC
the county line. Bond, in some
reputable guarantee company
should be required of such a one fol
the faithful performance of his duty
Let such contractor use the pris
oners us heretofore, or let him ust
the convicts from the state prison
as he needs them. He could b,
compensated by allowing him tt
collect toll on each road for two OF
three months each year; or better
still, by an appropriation by the
court out of the county funds, {
special tax being levied for thi
purpose.
This question is an important one
and | for one should like to see i
taken up for consideration by th,
County Court. o. p. RUTLEDGE.