Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1901-09-11
seIf.Imposcd Taxes.
SeII-ImpuBCU 1UAee'
- ENERAL ROY STONE said
recently In q SDeech at Par

kersburg, w. Va: Among tue
taxes which the farmers pay
arc some that are unavoidable, ana
these it is useless to talk about. There
are others which farmers impose upon
themselves, which they hesitate to
share with others, which they submit
to without a protest, and even cling
to when they are being removed.
These taxes we cannot talk about too
much. These are taxes, too, which
bring no useful revenue, nor even sup
port tax gatherer; they are burdens
as needless as the traditional stone
which balanced the grlst on the way
to mill.
Through the failure Of the Govern
ment in the original surveys Of the
public lands to lay out scientific sys-
tenn of roads, and divide the lands ac-
cordingly, farmers have been left to
lay out the roads for themselves and
generally they have put them on farm
lines, going over all the hills that come
in their way. The result Of this Is
the hill tax in hilly regions and what
may be called tho square corner tax
on the prairies.
"The amount Of hill tax have estl-
mated In one county in New Jersey,
ana found that needless hills double
all the cost of hauling in the county,
making practically money tax OF
$4,000 annually to the township. The
people have paid this tax for 100
years, and yet they wonder why they
are poor. In the prairie regions, for
want of the diagonal roads which the
Government should have laid out, the
farmer, to reach point ten miles to
the northwest, for instance, travels
seven miles north and seven miles
west, adding forty per cent to his dis
tance, or for the average Of all travel,
twenty per cent. This Is the square
corner tax.
1.-THE mud tax Is probably about
equal in total to the hill tax, and this,
again, doubles the cost of all wagon
transportation; yet many farmers are
opposed to stone roads.
However, the farmers themselves
are doing away In many places with
the enormous burden of the fence tax,
and with 1t Will go the snowdrlft tax
and the waste land on the roadside.
They are slowly abandoning narrow
tires and tracking wheels. Moreover,
many Of them begin to realize the
enormity and absurdlty Of the hill,
mud and square corner taxes, and we
may hope in time to sec in this coun-
try, as we do in France, beautiful
hard roads everywhere, winding
through farms, with crops growing
close to the wagon tracks and the
roads serving perfectly every purpose
of public use and private convenience.
"You ask how all this can be accen-
pllshed without burden OF taxation
which will neutralize its benefits. I
answer that 1t is all being done to-day
l.. hundred places In the United
States, and there are farmers who ac-
knowledge that they are getting rich
In these hard times solely by reason
of the improved roads which have been
forced upon them, and are Taying
with perfect case any additional tax
they impose. These improved roads
are being built In many ways and in
various forms Of construction, ard
every years experience reduces the
cost and brings about an easier pro-
viding Of the necessary means.
"It would be very long story to so
into the details in this direction, and I
would not be prepared to say which is
the best Of the many methods Of con-
struction and Of payment. Both need
to be greatly varied to meet the con-
dltions in the various States, and q
careful study of local legislation Is
necessary; but the vital question Is for
the farmers themselves to settle gen.
orally whether they want good roads,
and whether they will accept the help
Of those who are willing and anxious
to join In paying the cost of road i'm
provement. IF they will take up the
subject in all their organizations and
appoint active working committee to
visit the nearest accessible localities
where good roads prevail, and to urge
such legislation as will make them at
talnable everywhere, the work will
soon reach point where its own mo-
Mentum will carry 1t forward.
"The estimate Of your able secrc-
tary that $GO0,OCO,O0O is wasted annu-
ally In this country through bad roads
is supported by that Of other statisti-
clans, and from this 1t appears that
the tax they impose takes onc-Quarter
Of the whole value Of all farm pro-
ducts in the United States. To abol-
ish this tax is reform great enough
to engage the best attention Of this
Congress. 1t is practical and practi-
cable field for Its energies. What the
Congress says on this subject will be
listened to everywhere, While what it
says on other subjects may fall en-
deaf ears"