Evening star., 1897-07-31
THE FARMER AND GOOD ROADS.
Practical Systems Now at Work In
New York mud New Jersey.


From the Moiocycle
With all the advance of thought in the
direction of better highways. there are still
many who believe that their cost must
necessarily fall upon the agricuiturist. Just
as the farmer was the pioneer settler IN
most OF the states. so nc has been III,
pioneer road builder. At his town meetings
ne has determined where new roads should
be laid out. which OF them should be
worked and improved and how much
or tax should be exps nded upon each i'm
provefnent- As IL was left to him to plan
this important work so it's expense has
rested almost entirely upon his shoulders
NOW that the cry for macadamize,i high
ways is to be heard in the CITY and conn
Try alike, farmers believe as a rule that
thsS are 10 be called upon to build them
rms is wrong. Farmers have enough in
the way OF taxes TO pay, without undertake
ing the building of elaborate gravel aud
stone roacs. Ii is unfair that such a bur-
den should be added to their already heavy
ioau. 2" hiteNer may be undertaken in
the way OF constructing permanent hish-
ways. should be done at the ..xpense Of
those who are to reap its benefits True
III is that the saving I'm the cost Of hauling
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 rs no. the only one to use them They
sNi'N ~ vi iii6 tity anu CITY products
INTO the country, as much as they serv,
10 bring country people and country pr,d-
ucts into the city. The merchant who has
business with the farmer is as much bene-
h'ed through 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 i'm the Vi
cinity. and travellers from a distance shar.
the Dement'S resulting from their improve
ment. 1t would be the height of Injustice
therefore, 10 ask the farmer alone to stand
the cost of good roads.
Inc proper division of the cost of good
reads has been accomplished through state
aic This is the system by which the stone
roads OF New Jersey have been built The
farmers IN that state are so enthusiastical-
~ favorable to the extension of the state
aid system that il deserves to be descrihe1
In the hrst place, under the working of the
state aid system. no improvement is under
taken except upon the petition of those re-
siding upon the road to be improved wh,s,
such petition has been duly signed n IL
presented to the county board who proceed
10 nave the necessary drawings and speci-
ncations made. These are then presented
TO the state highway commissioner for an
proval. Upon their return by the state
commissioner to the county officers they
proceed to advertise for proposals to buiId
the ROAD W nen the contracts are let
copy OF each contract must be filed with
the state commissioner who thereupon an-
points supervisor of construction upon
the recommends ton of the property holders.
wiz nave pttiNioHtu LOT tne improvements.
Ihls supervisor must give his whole time
10 the work. and see that the conditions of
the specifications and contract are carried
out.
improvement is divided between the stat
the county and the adjoining property
the state paying one-third the owners of
the property adjoining the improvement
the remainder.
The bill introduced In the New York leg
islafure by Senator Higbie provides for a
slmiiar state aid system of road buildin-
except that the proportion of the exaepse
borne by the state is raised to one-half of
the total cost. This bill is the result of n,i-
merous conferences between Mr.. Isaac r.
Potter Of the League of American Wheel
men, and representatives of the various
farmers organizations I'm New York state
and will have the generous support Of both
farmers and wheelmen.
This system Of building improved roads
Is highly popular, because work is un-
dertaken except upon the petition of those
to he benefited. At the same time the cost
OF the Improvement is not required to be
borne by the farmers, and those of them
whose land borders upon the road where
the work is done are required to pay only
small share OF its cost. The rest Of he
expense is shared by city and country
property holders, because county taxes are
assessed in the cities as well as I'm the
country. and because state taxes are shared
by every one in the state, according to M.
amount OF property he owns. including the
wealthy manufacturers, railway and m
surance companies. AS most of the wealth
OF the state Is to be found in the cities the
New Jersey system successfully brings
about the construction of improved gravel
or stone roads without laying their entire
cost upon the farmers, and without reuuir-
ing them to contribute more than an emit
able share of expense according to the
wealth of each individual TAXPAYER The
state aid system successfully answers the
objection Still made by many. that We cam
not have good roads without overlooking
the farmer with taxes. Of which he IL al
ready payirg more than his share.