Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1898-03-18
HIGHWAY TAXATION.


making Roadway. Those who are still
young can remember when a country
road which was a good one by the happy
accident of favorable natural conditions
suggested to the mind of scarcely any.
body thought of his responsibility for
the bad roads with which it was con-
trasted. That mental blankness In re-
spect to matter of universal concern
certainly does not prevail today, aud the
change is full of encouragement. Rural
taxpayers now realize to a great extent
that they can make good roads out of
bad ones if they want to, and when they
oppose progress in that direction they do
so because they are not willing 10 admit
the economy of reconstruction. This is
by no means a satisfactory state of
things, but it marks, nevertheless, an
important gain, for it must inevitably
result in a constantly increasing number
of conversions as knowledge spreads
from the object-lessons which various
communities are offering.
In his recent message Governor Black,
alludng to the urgent necessity of
abandoning the ancient and discredited
system of working out highway taxes,
expressed the opinion that while it might
become desirable to enact a law COM
pelling them to be paid in money it
would be wise to make a longer trial of
the present statute, which permits
counties and towns to decide the question
for themselves. Though a compulsory
measure would doubtless be strongly
opposed by voters who have not yet
comprehended the lucrative character of
an Investment in good roads, perhaps
strongly enough to secure its rejection
by the legislature, we are convinced that
such law would not long be considered
hardship by more than small minori-
ty of the people. We believe it is rule
to which there is literally no exception,
that wherever bad road has been con-
verted into good one it has made re-
lapse into old conditions impossible by
furnishing proofs of its utility which
all concerned have been constrained to
accept as conclusive. But whether or
not Governor Black is justified in hoping
that the permissive law will produce
enough leaven to leaven the whole lump
| WlluOul lOuR uSldy luSlC 10 ROOu ACdsOu
to commend and promote the effort now
making in various parts of the state to
induce the voters to take advantage of
its provisions. Some thirty towns in the
state, we believe, have changed to the
money-payment system, and in every
case it is acknowledged that with a
smaller tax much better results are
produced.
All conceivable arguments are in favor
of roadmending Systematically conducted
under intelligent supervision on fixed
scale and plan, Instead of by the haphaz
ard operations of individuals, some OF
whom defraud their more honest neigh
bors by scrimping even the poor work
which pays their highway tax. We are
glad to see that this consideration is be
ing forced on the attention of those who
while still imbued with a false idea OF
economy, disdain to avoid the Obliga
ton which they recognize and mean tC
give a full equivalent for the money
payment which they avoid. Such per
sons are likely to be impressed with
comparison of that which is faithfully il
unintelligently done with that which Il
a mere pretence, and to be persuaded in
to voting for policy which will put al
on the same footing New Yorl
Tribune.