The record-union., 1897-12-01
HOW He GOT LIGHT.
THEY REASONED IT OUT AS
THEY RODE ALONG.
The Folsom Road Proposition De-
bated, Pro and Con, and How
It Came Out.

A. 3. is a farmer who has sofa d
load of produce to c. D., townsmail'
and the two are riding into town 70
effect delivery and payment, just aiter
a three days rain, and the ROAD 10
anything but good.
c. D.-You Will vote for the foisoiii
road proposition on Saturday, Oh
course?
"A. B.-Not /.
c. D.-May | ask why?
A. Bob. for reasons in plenty. For
one thing. you in the city should take
care of your streets, and leave us IN the
country to take care Of our roads.
C. D.-Indeed? But may / ask VINO
gave you in the country the roads?
have always thought that you ana 1
are citizens of a COMMON country, a
common State. common county.
A. Bob. Well you know what l
mean, of course But our system is
that we in the country districts take
care of the roads, and you in town
take care of the streets.
c Dwell. systems are often wrong.
Now. really, do not you think that as
we all use the roads it would be more
Just if the cost of building and keeping
them was put on all the people of the
county just as are the costs for courts
and Sheriff, and hospitals, and such
things?
A. B.-Yes, that is true. 1 have often
thought of that too. But would you
have the cost of streets, and sewers
and SO on, put on all the people OF
the county, too? That would not be
just?
c. D.-Assuredly not. The county is
a State political division for convent
ence But the city is a specially char
tered and permitted group of families
and is not strictly a political division
For when we vote, you notice, for Off
cials, we are simply counted as a part
of the county. So we create streets
which are not roads. and of our own
desire, and because of our necessities
gutter them, grade them, and care fo1
them differently from country roads
But what / do mean is that it would
be simple justice that all the people in
the city should equally bear the cost
of street building and cleaning. instead
of taxing the property owner on his
front footage for street work We pay
dllhS IOT our street llSiltS.
police, sewer maintenance, levees
schools, and so on; why not for our
streets? For far more people use the
streets than those who live along their
line. But give me some other reason
for not voting for the Folsom road.
A. B.-Well, look at this consummate
bad road we are driving over. 1t is
tough, is it not?
c. Dyes, we will agree on that. If
it was a half decent road you would
be hauling 1900 pounds besides our
selves to-day, instead of 1SG0.
A Bright you are, and I'd be back
home at noon and save half day.
AS it is, l will waste all day on this
load for you.
c. D.-Not wholly wasted, / hope on
me?
A. B.-I mean, of course, that 1 would
get more money and time on this dicker
with you, if / had a half-decent road
TO haul on Well. as l was saying, look
at this road. Now, how can you ask
me TO vote for a road over in the other
district, when this in mine is in need
of work on it? No; when they give me
a good road here. I will vote for a mod
el road for the other fellow.
c. D.-Ah, / see. You object not to
the road so much as to its location?
A B.-Well. that is rather hard
way Of putting it. ! mean | want to
see a system of good roads all over
alike.
c. Doh, I understand. You want
the thing to begin everywhere all at
once. Work sort o magically, Ell?
A B.-No no. not that: but you see,
to have our section in such a cussed
fix, and vote money for a fine road in
another district is tough.
c. D.-I concede that. 1t is tough.
But just stop and think what that ar
gument means? Do you object to the
expenditure of millions of money to
make the jetties up at the entrance of
Humboldt Bay?
A B.-Of course not.
c. D.-Why not?
A. because that makes a harbor
there and helps develop that end of the
State.
c. D.-But il does not make a harbor
for you and for me?
A. Bob, well. you see that is differ
ent.
c. D.-Not bit Did you object to
American River at Folsom?
A. B.-Of course not. The old one
collapsed. They needed bridge there
for the Orangevale trade and travel;
and. besides, we must cross rivers
c. D.-But you needed one just as
much across this stream here at tha;
time? Why did you not say that they
should not build at Folsom until they
built over this river we are coming TO?
A. B.-Because then we would never
get a start at all, if everybody held off
until each one got what he wanted
c. D.-Precisely; and SO it is with this
road to Folsom. 1t is needed The
district cannot build it alone. The law
limits the sum they can expend. and
that prohibits a good road. But as fol
the model road its building is for the
good of all. because we are one COM