The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1899-03-02
The Road Commissioner Question.

In the House Feb. 23d an act amendatorv
OF and additional to chapter IS, of the Re-
vlsed Statutes, as amended by chapter 500,
OF the Public Laws of 1897, relating to the
repair OF highways, was under considera.
ton. Mr.. Chase of Portland explained that
the purport of this act is not to change in
any way the present method of raising
highways. The passage of this act does not
send us back to the old system of maintain
ing the highways by working out highway
taxes. The system of assessing a money
tax TOR the support of highways is left pre-
clsely as it is under the present system. This
simply leaves it optional with each town
whether they will expend that money by
road commissioner or expend it by the
seectmen, and provides that they may elect
road commissioner If they do not elect
road commissioner, the money shall be ex-
pended by the selectmen. Mr.iDawson of
Monroe addressed the House as follows:
Mr.. Speaker: This bill is one that comes
home to the farmers nore than any other
bill before the House, and of course it is adj
vlsable that we should understand these
matters thoroughly. We are not lawyers
l am not, at least-and | think we should
understand this matter. l know that the
farmers of my section, with hardly an ex-
ceptlon, are not in favor of the law as it
stands at the present time. Nor do | know
Of any man who wants to 60 back to the old
system of labor. l think we believe, as a
whole, that the road tax should Der aised in
money and not in labor, for this reason:
Under tie old system if l did not wish to
work out my tax ] could pay from 90 to rs
cents on the dollar, while the man who
could not afford to pay his road tax in
money would have to work out 100 cents on
his dollar. So that if we raise the tax in
money the man who does not want to work
out his tax will have to pay to the collector
or treasurer the full amount of 100 cents on
his dollar OF tax. Now, Mr.. Speaker, and
gentleman, all we want, and all We ask for
IN the farming communities, is that we nave
the privilege of electinga road commissioner
or not see fit; and also to have the
money raised by the town expended under
the supervision of the selectmen We in the
small towns elect Selectmen no are ca ID b e
OF eXpendlng this money to the best advan-
tage and If we want road commissioner
can elect one or not desire; aud our
selectmen can appoint surveyors in the
different districts who will be sworn to eX-
pend the money to the best of their ability
and to the satisfaction of the town. So leave
II as 1t ls-ralse the tax in money; it W II be
more to our advantage We all know that
every town has its idlers and if the tax is
raised IN money the surveyor can regulate
the pay of his men and use his own
Judgment in the matter. Another thing,
assessing the tax in money he can use his
Judgment IN regard to teams. Some men
have heavy draft horses, Others light horses,
and he can hire whichever teams he needs.
But If you leave the tax to be assessed in
labor every man goes on with his team and
all expect the same pay per day whether
they are worth it or not In conclusion,
gentlemen, | believe the towns az a whole
would Father raise the tax in money and
have it expended under the supervision Of
the selectmtn.