The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1903-12-24


legislation has had the effect of adding
to the taxes on the farms, while the
census Of 1900 shows that the value of
the farm lands of Pennsylvania with
their improvements have decreased in
the last ten years nearly $4,000, 600.
thousands of farms, if put upat public
sale, would hardly bring what it would
cost to replace the buildings on them.
There are more abandoned farms in our
state today than ever before.
All the people have equal rights to
the public roads and we can not under
stand why the farmers should alone
have been compelled to build and main
tain them. Good roads are also of
equal importance to all interests, there
fore no class of property should refuse
to assist in paying for them. When in
support Of this position your legislative
committee asked the legislature to tax
personal and corporate property, in
cluding manufacturing corporations.
the small sum of mill for road pur-
poses the Legislature failed to pass it.
such a tax would yield at least two and
one-half million dollars annually I'm
der our present system of taxation we
still contend that this is the right way
to raise money from these interests fjr
road purposes. 1t must be kept,in mind
that good roads cost money and lots
of it.
The legislature at its last session
passed a law apprOpriating $500, 600 per
year for the next two years for good
roads, yet in its operation it will greatly
increase local taxes, but adds no tax on
those forms of property that have never
yet paid for good purposes. Some of
the arguments, appearing in our news
papers under the guise of good roads,
made to the effect that the farmers are
blind to the advantages of good roads,
are fallacy. We farmers do under
stand the advantages of good roads as
well as anybody, but we are not delud-
ed by a paltry S550,0OO appropriation
coupled with all its red tape, increased
local taxation and loss of local control.
In the first place the 100000 appro-
priation represents taxes that have been
paid to the State that should never
have left the counties, as shown above.
10 thus collect moneys from localities
and to then not allow it to be returned
for expenditure in the counties for the
public good except it be done under
rigid centralized suthority is to reflect
upon the intelligence and integrity of
our citizens. That the government is
superior to the people i'm either virtue
or business ability is questionable. In
proof that it is not, we refer to the cost
and manner in which the State is car
rying out that part of road cOnstruc-
tion already entrusted to her-the
building of State bridges. Do the tax
payers wish to encourage jobbery by |
putting the control of building the |
roads under such management when
of the cost is to be born by |
the local taxpayers?
If the State wants to improve the |
principal roads at her expense we have
no objections but believe it would be |
much fairer than the present law. |
There are about 100, 900 miles of public |
roads in our Commonwealth, 10 per
cent. of which can be termed as princi-
pal or main roads. There is no just
reason why poor townships should be
taxed to improve and keep in repair
these main roads when they are used
for inter-county and State commerce.
National aid to States for good roads Is
being discussed. General Miles rec
that part of the standing
army be used in building good roads.
Here are ideas that the State i'm con-
Junction with the federal government
could work out and be of great help in
getting good roads. The road Act of
1903 has some good features i'm it, sew
eral of which were inserted by your
among which are the di-
vision OF the appropriation according
% the township road mileage, def
lition of q good road, the right for the
people to select the kind of road they
wish to have built, together with sew
sral other amendments. Our town
hip road system is very faulty and we
recommend a change in the same. 1--WE
that more good roads can be
'uilt by getting something done yearly
n each of the 800 townships in the
State than by any other plan, provided
ye get some State aid, as we had right
o expect when the road Act of 1897
vas passed, which is still imperative
because the legislature refuses to grant
he appropriation provided for in that .
aw in order to put it into effect.
TROLLEY LEGISLATION.
Your committee according to instruc-
ions from this body prepared and in /