The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1896-04-10
MAKE THE ROADS ALL FREE.


The question has not been suffici-
emily discussed yet, perhaps, to be di-
cided, for it is a big question and
ought not to be decided too quickly;
but the proposition for the County to
buy, own and control all the turn
pike roads of the county, to issue
warrants to pay for them, to keep
them up and in first class condition
by taxation, and to run them free of
all toll charges, strikes us favorably;
and it was preliminary ste p in the
right direction for the County Court
to appoint-as they did last Wednes-
day-a committee to inquire into the
matter and report at their next quar-
terly session what the approximate
purchase cost and running expenses
would be.
In the mean time, as this is a very
live and important subject to the
people of this county, we open our
columns to It's discussion and invite
communications on either side,
confined of course to reasonable
length.
Toll, like the tariff, is a tax; they
differ, however, is this: the con-
sumner pays the tariff; while the
producer pays the toll. If you live
in the country and haul wood to
Columbia and pass through two toll
gates, the toll tax is 20 cents on that
load of wood. The producer pays it,
for the town man would pay just as
much if the wood hadn't passed
through the gates. And the same
may be said of oats, wheat, hay, corn,
etc. We can easily see, therefore,
how that would be quite saving to
the farming tenaut, or small prop
erty owner.
The question arises, under this
new system wouldn't the large prop
erty owner suffer? We think not.
This class trade a good deal. Their
business calls them here and there,
and their families have leisure and
vehicles. Their toll bills, therefore
are considerable, and quite as much
if not more, than their taxes would
be.
This question then arises. If il
would save the poor man all his toll
who would pay that saving, if not
the rich or well-to-do? The answer
is this. The profit the turnpike com
panies now make, would go far, very
far, towards paying that saving, anC
another class who now pay little
would then pay considerable; that is
the tax payers of Columbia. And
as it appears to us now, if any kicl
comes, it will be from them.
The taxable property Of Colum bi;
represents, we are informed, abou
one-fourth of the taxable propert!
of Maury County. Therefore, while
now Columbia pays an insignificant
sum in the way of toll gate charges
under the free roads system it woult
pay a fourth of the entire charge pu
upon the county.
Some will complain against that
but we believe Columbia would b
benefited by it. The system woul
build up Maury County, and tina
would necessarily, directly and i'm
mediately benfitColumbia. 1t woul
bring trade to Columbia, and trad
means employment to idle Labor
and then that begets more trade
1t would bring new business an
more of it to our merchants; an
their prosperity would induce Othe
merchants to come, and that woul
create greater demand for stor
houses and residences and adyertii
ing space in the HERALD, and give
Columbia new life, new blood, ne
hope ana greater growth.
At east that is the picture as "
ls 1t, and we are glad that til