Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1904-03-19
The County Road Problem.
How to Solve II.
Communicated
MESsRs. EDlToRs:-

tCOmmunlcateu.l
MEsSRs. EDIToRs:-
We are informed that the County
Commissioners have not yet determined
upon system of working the public
roads of Worcester county. Viewed from
the standpoint of endeavoring to please
all the people in the various districts,
il is assuredly difficult problem for
them to solve. Viewed from "a legal
standpoint there is but one course open
that of enforcing the law which is ut
present upon our Statute Books. This
law was passed by the session of the Leg
islature in 1898, and is good law and
one that has stood the tests of the
Courts. This road question is one that
has agitated the minds of the people far
and wide. They are clamOring for bet
ter roads in every district and county of
the State of Maryland. and of the Uni
ted States. This age of progress and
development demands better facilities
and more speedy way of reaching the
markets The betterment of the roads.
then. is question upon which we all
agree. Then the main point at issue is.
N"How shall they be obtained" The cry
lof the tax payer is that he is already
Will tACtSSlNt 1Hc
increase of the road fund and school
fund has already raised our taxes 90 cts.
on the one hundred dollars in the last
few years. Are the people willing for
this rate to be increased still higher and
put more money still upon the public
roads? No, especially if some other
means can be devised for road improve
ment The system that has been in
vogue for the last year has been the
most expensive in the history of our
county, and at the same time the most
unsatisfactory. We do not mean to in
sinuate that the County Commissioners
have not used their best judgement and
endeavored at all times to obtain the
best results for the least amount of mon
ey. Neither do we mean to insinuate
that the Road Supervisors have not ell
deavored to do their duty. There is no
doubt but that the present Supervisors
have made some good roads and done
some effective work in certain localities,
but their territory is far too large and
too much time is consumed in reaching
places needing attention. We need one.
if not two. Road Supervisors in every
district-men of intelligence and judg-
ment. In order to secure enough Su-
pervisors and men 10 work OH the roads
III the various districts TO obtain any
appreciable result. or even to a slight
degree satisfy the demands of the pub
lie, il would take eighteen to twenty
thousand dollars per year. This would
mean a tax rate for road Improvement
alone of from 30 to 35 cts. on the 500.
You can readily see how this amounts
up to the person who pays the taxes. A
man who pays $50 taxes per year will
be paying at least 81 toward the road
fund; one who pays 800 will be paying
$50 toward the road fund. Now, if we
can get this same result at a much less
cost, is il not the duty of the County
Commissioners to adopt that method:
There are in Worcester county some
thing less than two thousand cOlored
people who have free schools. free roads
and free government, and little or no
taxes to pay. Ii is certainly asking very
little of them to work on the roads two
days per year. as required by law. How
any tax payer can object to the free la
Dor system is difficult to understand.
By their moral support and by their ex-
ample and saying to this non-tax-paying
element, 'come, let us fix the roads in
our neighborhoOd." you will very soon
see most desirable result from their
efforts. BY strictly carrying out the law
you will get - 900 worth of free work
upon our roads and no person in Wor.
cester County will ever feel the loss of
their time or the money. We do not
mean for one instant for the free labor
to be the only work or money expended
upon the roads, but in connection with
this we are assured il is the intention of
the Board of County Commissioners to
levy all the money for this purpose that
can be done in order to keep the tax
rate at some reasonable figure. If they
levy tax of 90 cts. on the 500 for road
purposes this would bring in sum
equal to about $4,000. Let every dis
trict in the county have from this fund
Just what il contributed. We will then
DO getting almost as much money as at
present from the County Commission
ers and the work done under the FIR, Q
labor system will be that much addition
al Granted that the are some few
sections IN the county opposed to work
ing on the road. and we say right here
that he is no public spirited citizen who
objects, the duty of the County Com
missioners is to ascertain the wishes of
tut nuJuTity VI thC ptopio anu uistiitts
in the county upon this question. Upon
investigation we are confident they will
find seven out of the nine districts ask
ing for free labor in connection with the
amount the Commissioners feel justified
in levying for the roads. The people
are taking more interest and are more
wrought up over this question than ever
before. and there is no doubt that any
tax payer in the county can. by the
proper proceedings in Court, compel the
enforcement of the law upon our Stat
utes. Under the free labor system the
people will assuredly take more interest
in the roads than under any other. BY
working on the roads themselves they
feel that they are in measure respon-
sible for their condition: and further
more. they will see that the Supervisors
do their duty aud strictly enforce the
PROVISIONS of the law.
A TAXPAY Err
Mrs Arthur NJ. C3rme3n