The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-08-30

NaficzaI Is1 Sus Of American vhseyrsn.
delivered a uTo~t interesting address o.
'.zox shall We Obtain Better Reads -
ard he ret II practical way the prtuc2-
%. O. s@cgton which the farmer raises,
that he Should not pay all the cost BE-
cause tire road runs through his properly.
lie sad - part:
The LeagUa Of American wheelrnen
has been ths subject Of much criticism
ca account Of SIS agitation for better
highway We have been accused Of SCI
fshness Il tbs matter II IS believed
by many that We xhe@lrnxn expect farm
ers 10 had themselves I'd with taxes that
they might build roads for tire couveTs-
fsrsce cs bicycle riders. No greater mis-
take could &c made We OF the League
OF American wheelmea who are engaged
III this agitation for better roads feel
that the farmer CT today bears his full
share Of pubic taxation. and that y should
rot be unnecessarily aided To- We feel
that mistake hiss been made IN the past.
n expecting farmers alone 10 pay for
bG.lolRg roads, ard Il leaving the entire
responsibility fer or ruaes IN their
hands. The farmers q the United States
are but a fraction OF our population. and
thzy are By no means the only ones who
will profit by the construction Of good
roads. Il IL claimed that In the state CT
New York every farmer Is obliged 10
build roads Tor eight persons out OF the
state popGi2tisn- Why should not the
other seven contrihuts TO their cosgT
While coed roads woslid save the farmers
Immense amounts n hauling produces.
this saving would indirectly benefit the
whole population. Neither is the farmer
the Only ore who travels the country
highways. Country merchants. doctors
ard professional men. peddiers. pleasure
seekers. and last bat not least. the wheel
men. would he directly benefited by good
reads X Is unjust. therefore that the
farmers should pay for building these
roads.
Il am glad OF an opportunity TO say 20 a
gathering Of farmers that the League OF
American WheehEnen proposes to help
them IA bringing about a proper division
OF the cost of good roads. 50 that the city
people. the capitalist, merchants and man
nfsctursrs. the wealthy corporations. rail-
roads. insurance and telephone companies
IN fact, every class OF people shall con-
tribute 20 TIRE cost Of building them. Ire
League OF American Wheelmen believes
thai many OF our country roads should Dc
built BY state aid: thai part of the cost
OF good roads should be paid out OF the
state tax. which would be levied upon the
property and all classes Of people alike.
so that every taxpayer should contribute
a proportionate amount. according 70 the
amount Of property DE owns. We pro
pose that the states shall help TO build
roads ard divide their total cost between
the people Of the locality. who are most
directly benefited; the adjoining property
owners. whose land rises in value as a
result OF the Improvement. and the state
as representing the entire population. This
Is not a Utopian plan; it Is not theory
only. but has been adopted in practice
with great success In New Jersey, in Con-
necticut. In Rhode Island. in Peunzylva-
MIA, and IN modified form IL Massachu-
sets"
These arguments are precisely the same
which The Spirit has always advocated.
The lumberman. the country merchant.
the owner OF real estate. the trottiug horse
breeder ara all as deeply interested II the
construction Of good roads as the farmer
No fixed proportion OF taxation could be
arranged which would apply with justice
20 every locality; bat each state could
have a good roads commission with 4
competent engineer who would map out
the roads Of the state and estimate the
cost 20 each township.