The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1901-06-28

layer OF cfuSneQ slOn6 from one
to two inches in size is put down,
and lastly a layer two inches thick
of fine crushed stone, including
screenings, and the whole firmly
rolled. Convict labor does most
of the work. The rest Of this la
Dor varies in the State from % tC
40 cents a day.. which pays for
food, clothing, medical attendance,
guards, etc. One superintendent
and one engineer have charge of
the work of each squad of eighty
or more. The rate of taxation for
road purposes in Mecklenburg
County was Is cents on the 500.
In addition to this tax each town
ship or district levies a tax from
Z to Is cents on each 800 worth
of property. All able bodied clti-
zens along the road mus work
four days thereof or pay 80 cents
per day in lien thereof.
OUR DEFECTIVE LAW.
Our recent road law is singular
ly defective in many particulars.
1t throws the whole burden of
keeping up the highways upon the
country districts. Is this right9 ?
Are not towns and cities as much
or more interested in having good
roads than even the countryG Good
roads make fourishing towns.
Greensboro, in North Carolina, has
recently voted to build fifty miles
of good roads near that city as an
object lesson so as to induce the
country people to vote larger
road tax.
There would not be a country
store at every convenient position
if the roads leading to the cities
and towns were of high grade.
Towns should be taxed for they
are the recipients and benefciar-
les of all trade that passes over
the roads. The constitution should
be so amended that the State could
the county tax for
roads. No tax now paid
would work greater benefit to
The people. 1t is hard matter
indeed to pay too much for good
roads. They are the avenues of
thrift and prosperity and they add
many times more than they cost to
he taxable property of the State.
The towns in North Carolina are
Ill taxed for building roads.
There should be three taxes inn
'osed by the making and worklng|
# roads, one on property, one on
,olls and one on labor. Property |
hould pay at least three-fourths |
# the tax, for property is the
,reatest beneficiary whether it is
eld in towns, cities or in the
ountry. 1t is the greatest inius-
Ice to throw all the burden of
laking and keeping up roads
pom the people of the country.
ENGLAND AND FRANCE.
Two hundred years ago England
ad the worst roads in the world,
eoause the peasantry living on
ne road alone were required to
'ork them. In speaking of them
Iacauley says, ''that a route con-
Getting two great towns which
ave a large and fiourishing trade
ith each other should be main
lined at the cost of the rural pop
Iat;on scattered between them is
anifestly unjust. 1t was not un-
many toll bars had been vio-
ntly pulled down, until the
oops had in many instances been
,rced to act against the people
ld not until much blood had been
led that a good system was intro
lced." Every class now contrib
les to the maintenance of the
,ad system in England.
The French have probably the
ost efficient laws and regulations
the world for the building and
,pairing Of highways. The Min
ter of Public Works has the gem
al superintendent of all roads :
I'd ways by land and by water.
here are four classes of roads
by law, namely: oil
ltional. % departmental, (3)II
ilitary, (4) cross roads. National
,ads are built and kept up by the
ltional treasury. Departmental
'ads are a charge upon the de-
artments through which they
ass, and part of the military |