The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-12-25
VANS GOOD ROADS
Sidney Clarke VIII Champion
Them in Oklahoma Council.
PEOPLE DESIRE THEM
Good Features of the Present
System to Remain.

Guthrie, o. T, Dec. 24-sidney Clarke,
fusionist councilman from the Sixth dis
trict, has not, after all, withdrawn from
the race for the council presidency. ac-
cording to his own emphatic and vigor-
Gus denial Of the rumor that he had con-
cluded to let the honor go uncontested
to some younger man. Il am not mere
ly .stil in the ring. " said he. when ask
ed the question direct as to his with
drawaI from the race; Il am not even
slightly disfgured' He then added:
"And 1 expect TO win" Mr.. Clarke said
the coming session Of the legislature
might be. and it surely ought to be,
business session, for there was enough
that neened doing badly enough; but he
didn't know-there were elements in the
situation which might be so mixed as to
produce a scrap worthy to become cele-
brated even in this land Of good fighters;
it might be on political lines purely, or
some sectional matter, like she locating
Of public institutions might fetch the
thing on Yet there was one considera-
ton upon which a failure to re-cast the
frame of territorial affairs might be par
doned; that is, statehood. In the event
of early statehood, and Mr.. Clarke fully
expected the next congress to pass an
enabling act at its first session, there
were many things which might as well
be let wait a while and let one cleanup
serve for the entire job
be as well undertaken now as at any
time, since whatever were done now
would be permanent under statehood
This was the good roads movement, And
here Mr.. Clarke paused to explain at
length measure with which he has been
Identified and Of which he viii be cham
pion on the floor of the council. An in
formal convention Of Oklahoma county
citizens representing every township in
Mr.. Clarke's district, and called by him
to advise with him, met Saturday at ok
lahoma City. Mr.. Clarke said these men
manifested great sympathy with his ideas
and indorsed the fundamental points of
the bill which he has in preparation.
Mr.. Clarke's scheme for road improve
ment is very simple He believes in re-
tanning the good features Of the present
system, for local application of road I'M
and throwing away some bad
ones, while building up along with it an
other special system for the purpose Of
building up a network Of main Travelled
roads" to connect in a grand system
whereby not only should each county
seat or other important trading point be
made the center Of radiating main thor
oughfares but each should become con
nected with all its neighboring points by
roads following the shortest and best
practicable routes. with this incidental
effect, that the traveller should be enabled
to pass from end to end and side to side
of the territory in fair weather or foul
and always find good, hard, high, plain.
straight road under him.
AS for the means to build up these
roads, Mr.. Clarke proposes that the law
shall impose upon the county commits
sioners the duty Of levying a tax for
road purposes at a rate within specified
limits, such to be levied upon property
outside OF Incorporated towns and to be
expended by authority and at the dis
erection Of the board in localities whence
petitions legally sufficient come up, the
money raised in any county to be used
only in that county, but anywhere in
that county the board may elect. The
system Mr. Clarke indicated as
probably most proper for this general tax
fund The present system he would re-
tain in some features. He would continue
the poll tax Of 81 upon each able-bodled
citizen between the ages Of say 20 and
80, but would have 1t paid in money IN
stead of being worked out" on the road.
or played out" as it literally was IN
the majority Of cases leaving the citi-
zen worse off by his real loss Of time,
and the roads worse of by the little
work I'll done whereas the roads always
demanded much work well done Each
township is divided into
four road districts. each with its over
seer. This subdivision and these officers
might be confined. and under the dis
rict system the poll tax would be ex-
pended. with this difference. that com
petent oyerseers would be chosen and
the days work would be as honest as
any other days work done for wages.
This would give every section. even the
most remote from the main travelled
roads" a good show for betterment. and
where the two systems. the local and the
general. coinci6ed upon the same stretch
OF "main road" so much She better Tor
the main road 1t shcaId be stated at