Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-05-09
ALSO INTERESTED
Cities Equally Concerned With
Country in Good Roads
Movement.
ARGUED AT STATE MEETING
Local Delegates Convinced of the
Feasibility of Plans Ad-
Vocated.

T. =. Latin, the liveryman, who at
tended the meeting of the Illinois
good roads convention at Springfield
last week, is of the opinion that the
proceedings of that meeting deserve
greater prominence than they have
been accorded in the public mind. 1t
was the first convention of the kind
ever held in this state and it set on
foot movement that promises to be
far reaching. With Mr. Latin were
David Matthews and +. y. Rouse. re-
spectively, supervisor and highway
commissioner in Black Hawk town
ship, which is also Mr.. LafIin's home
The local delegates found that 9th
er parts of the state are more alive to
the situation, Judging from the man
ner IN which they were represented in
the convention, than Rock Island
county. ut the same time no other
county is more vitality interested in
the cause espOused than i Rock ISL
and, and Mr.. Latin is particularly
anxious for that reason that the plans
advanced at the convention receive
further explanation.
All the delegates were impressed
with the fact that the good roads
movement is one of the greatest i'm
portancc, not only to the country, but
TO every city as well. At the same
time the movement is of such magni-
tude that a great deal of labor cover
,ng probably many years will he re-
CURED to educate the people to the
point where effective legislation can
be enacted and enforced to bring
about the desired results. The move
ment has apparently less momentum
than several years ago when the first
sporadic efforts growing out of the
growth of popularity of the bicycle
were made to get a public hearing.
With some, in fact. the term good
roads calls for smile and those who
consistently advocate remedies for
present conditions with country high
ways are regarded as cranks.
See It In New Light.
However. Mr.. Latin and the other
delegates have come TO look at the
matter in a new light since the con-
vention. They believe something can
be done. The address of Senator Lat
timer. of South Carolina. the cham
piOn of good roads. had great weight
at the Springfield meeting. As is gen
orally known. Senator Lattimcr has n
bill up now that he thinks will solve
the great obstacle TO the building of
better highways, that Of raising the
money. if il is passed and becomes a
law.
The general public is not familiar
with the terms of this bill. Its gen
eral provisions call for the levying of
poll tax of 81 upon each man be-
tween the ages of p and 80 in city and
country, and road tax of mills up
on all real estate. This is to be done
hy counties, and when it il done the
federal government will be required
to appropriate for the county like
sum. OF course. this would require a
vast amount from the general govern
ment. but it would not be. it is con-
tended. greater than the results would
he worth. Macadam or gravel roads
are contemplated in the bill and it is
estimated that they would cost from
$1,000 to $4,000 a mile to build, ac-
cording to the distance the material
would have TO he transported.
Senator Lattimer's idea is to dis
tribute the burden evenly upon all the
people. He holds that the reason the
country people have not taken more
readily to the plans advocated for
building permanE Mt roads is that they
anticipate they will have to stand all
the expense. as they do at present.
They are unwilling to do this when
they are convinced that residents of
cities are interested almost to the
same extent as themselves. 1t is pro-
posed to give to cities under 10000 in
habitants the amount raised by the
tax upon their citizens, but to exclude
the larger cities from the direct ben
Gifts.
Illustrates the Point.
The manner in which residents of
cities are affected by present condi-
tions of roads may he Illustrated in
Rock Island. There is no doubt that
every male resident and property
holder pays annually in increased cost
for country produce many times what
the proposed tax would amount to.
For instance. at certain seasons of the
wear produce becomes scarce and
high on account Of the inability of
farmers to bring what they have to
| sell to market. Sometimes ii is less 4
question of good roads than Of bust
ness. The farmer is too busy with
his crops to come to town. When n
rainy day comes. and he cannot work
| in the field. he would go to market,
| but the dirt roads are 50 muddy that
| he i prevented With hard roads il
| is evident that the price Of country