Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-10-13

ter cf fact. If 7 may rely upon the best
information | have at hand. there Is not
one dollar OF this money that goes into
permanent work, or that furnishes a last
ing benefit to the state. There is no re-
port made thereof TO tho State whatever.
No man IN this assembly would apply the
principle that controls the distribution Of
this ) per cent State tax for highways to
his own business. No man with an income
of SSi, Goa or less. or more. would allow 2i5,
or any number of his servants, however
good, to spend ii without any voice or
control or exercise of any accountability
respecting 1t whatever. How, therefore.
can you do your duty "a legislators ard
allow this condition as to $4,000 Of the
States income TO remain as it is?
This state of affairs is no fault OF the
highway commissioners of the several
towns, and no criticism whatever on them.
It is inCid mt to the law itself. which dis
siTatCS tn benefit that would accrue TO
the state II this $50, 0o0 was directed from
che standpoint. or by the State. The
idea that urderlies this law relating to
the redistribution of the ; per cent tax, Is,
that II alds the poorer and smaller towns;
but this is not true, in my iud" ment. The
idea is. for Instance. that the town of
Hancock. which on its grand list is as
scssed SS.1o. receives in the redistribution
on it's mileage $l2l. IS. lIut Of this $780, Is.
the town pays out Of 'ts oWn pocket s5S.l ~,
go that in reality its gain on rcdistril IL
ton Is but $I2.29. This is less than 500
pr mile on its - miles Of road. rractl-
cally, 1t IL no nClp at all towards rebuild
Ing and mliutaining the roads of Ham
cock. This Is hut a fair statement Of
wh't each of the smaller towns Of tho
State receives in the way OF lasting sub.
st@ntial h'ncnt. In reality. Ii t. of nc
permanent benefit whatever ANA amounts
to nothing. The $4,000 spent in this way
each year is spread cut So thin that tho
money is practically thrown away ana is
wasted.
Tho amount received by ca n town IL
excess Of Tho > per cent Is far below tn.
less that inurcS to every inhabitant nj
each of these towns. who OWNS IA horse oi
drives Il team over its poor roads. | hav,
taken pains to have statistics prepared I,
show the cost of trans nortdtion of tn,
products Of Vermont from various town.
which lie away from the line of the rail
roads to the railroads. as compared witt
the cost of transporting the same article
from the railroad to market. From thcs,
statistics it appears, that ON butter, lum
her, granite, lime, brick. cement and la!
the rate IL from $3.50 to $40 per ton b.,
team from the point Of production to III,
railroad, while the rato to hau the sam,
articles from the railroad station to th,
point OF consumption is but from s3.4
down To Sl.6d per ton. In none of thes,
instances does the haul by team exceed
l. miles; in none of the instances Is tn,
haul b. railroad less than 40 miles. Tn,
rates by railroad will never, in my judy
mcnt, be higher, 50 that whatever can b,
saved by improved roads out of the cos
of tcaming these products ought TO 3,
INTO the pocket of the producer of th'
hay or the butter or the lumber or gran
tie, or whatever Is teamed, The standarI
authorities give the saving in cost o
leaning over good roads as compared Il
ordinary dirt roads to be from 80 to Z
per cent, so that there is from $l.25 to s
for every ton of freight teamed to go int,
the pocket of the producer in NCr
mont, II only good roads ar
made whherc bad ones now eX
list. Looking ut il, therefore frcm tn
, standpoint OF the smaller towns. ava,
/, from the railroads, the benefit that w0ul,
result to the Inhabitants thereof by tn
expenditure of this money in making tn
=, roads good would infinitely exceed III
r amount received each year I'm the redls
+ tribution of this , per cent from the Stat
, highway tax, So far as the larger town
A., are concerned, 1t is obviously for thci
/, advantage to change this highway lay
, and to have better roads. 1t seems to IN
= these are strong reasons for changing tn
= law and securing better roads and tn
solution Is clear and easy, If this Lesis
: laturc Will direct that the expenditure g
. the $4,000 collected each year from III
r State highway tax be devoted under PROF
: er restrictions to building highways fror
these smaller towns to functions with tn
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