The advocate., 1897-09-01
For the Farmer.
THB FARMER AND GOOD ROADS,


the direction of better highways, there
are still many who believe that their
cost must necessarily fall upon the
agriculturist Just as the farmer was
the pioneer settler In most OF the
States. so he has been the pioneer road
builder. At his town meetings he has
determined where new roads should be
laid out. which of them should be
worked and improved and how much
OF a tax should be expended upon each
improvement. AS 1t was left to him 70
plan this important work, 80 its ex-
Dense has rested almost entirely upon
his shoulders. Now that the cry for
macadamized highways Is to be heard
in the city and country alike, farmers
believe, as a rule, that they are to be
called upon to build them.
This is wrong. Farmers have
enough In the way of taxes to pay
without undertaking the building OF
elaborate gravel and stone roads. It Is
unfair that such a burden should be
added to their already heavy load.
Whatever may be undertaken in the
way of constructing permanent high
ways, should be done at the expense OF
those who are to reap it's benefits. True
it. is that the saving in the cost Of haul
ing crops would be considerable, and
that this saving would result almost
entirely to the farmer. But that Is no
reason for asking him to pay the cost
OF building such roads. He Is not the
only one to use them. They serve to
bring city people and city products
into the country, as much as they serve
to bring country people and country
products into the city. The merchant
who has business with the farmer Is as
much benefited through a good road
TO travel over as Is the farmer who
comes to town on business OF any kind.
Neither Is the use Of roads limited to
those living in the vicinity, and travel
ers from distance share the benefits
resulting from their improvement. 1t
would be the height of injustice, there
fore, to ask the farmer alone to stand
the cost Of good roads,
Theproper division Of the cOstof good
roads has been accomplished through
y, State aid. This Is the system by which
the stone roads Of New Jersey have
been built. The farmers in that State
are so enthusiastically favorable to the
extension OF the State aid system that
1t deserves TO be described. In the
first place, under the workings Of the
State aid system, no improvement is
undertaken except upon the petition OF
those residing upon the road to be inn
been duly signed 1t Is presented to the
county board, who proceed to have the
necessary drawings and specifications
made. These are then presented to the
State Highway Commissioner for ap-
proval. Upon their return by the State
Commissioner to the county officers
they proceed to advertise for proposals
to build the road. When the contracts
are let a copy OF each contract must be
filed with the State Commissioner, who
thereupon appoints a supervisor OF
construction, upon the recommends
tion OF the property-hOlders, who have
petitiOned for the improvement. This
supervisor must give his whole time to
the work, and see that the conditions
of the specifications and contract are
carried out
Under this State aid system the cost
Of improvement is divided between the
state, the county and the adjoining
property, the State paying One-third
the owners of the property adjoining
the improvement paying one-tenth and
the county the remainder.
The bill introduced in the New York
Legislature by Senator Higbie provides
for a similar State aid system Of rOaC
building, except that the proportion O
the expense borne by the State Il
raised to one-half of the total cost
This bill Is the result Of numerous con
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