The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1905-03-24

have approximately about so miles of
graded road to show for the money and
labor expended. That is, each mile of
highway stands tor $500 worth of road
taxes. AS it is we'll known the grades
for good highways can be contracted TOR
at the rate of 500 per mile Township
furnishing the grader] and s25..a mile will
finish the road.
Comment on such figures and facts is
unnecessary. 1t is an absurdity and fraud
on the face of it. All townships may not
show up as bad as this one, but the fact
remains that nearly all townships in this
county have for twenty or more years
been levying a tax rate on their valuation
that has produced Tor should have pro-
duced] sums varying from 81, ,0O0to s2,-
600 or more each year. If we average it
as $1,000 that would make $4,000 Any
taxpayer can look about him in his own
township and see what he has for his
money. He may vary the estimate as he
will to suit conditions in his own town
but if he will take the figures in the most
favorable light possible he cannot but
come to the conclusion that the roads
cost the township on the face of the tax
list, anywhere from 100 to 600 per cent
more than they actually cost.
The trouble is in the system. 1t is a
system that makes premium for fraud.
shiftlessness, inefficiency and partiality.
The road overseers have no check except
their own consciences, and consciences
are notoriously easy on the honesty of
70 ad labor. The road overseers are en-
powered to collect in cash such road tax
es as they may, and either hire men to
do the work therefor, or do it them
selves. They have friend on one side
and man they don't like on the other.
These men will naturally be required to
do their road work accordingly. The
road overseer with two inch piece of
lead pencil has it in his power to do as
much personal road work as he chooses,
limited only by the calendar.
In some townships through which the
railways run we understand and from
good authority, that the railway tax-of.
fetal goes to the road overseer and offers
him 60 per cent of the assessed amount
of road taxes in his district if if he will
do the railway road work. That is, he
asks the road overseer to take 80 cents
for days work on the roads for him
self or $1.80 for self and team. We are
also informedthat there are some road
overseers that have accepted such wages.
OF course no other person could or
would accept such terms-but he could
do it and make wages if lie had the op.
portunity of borrowing the road over
seer's lead pencil.
The law that puts this sort of power in
the hands Of road overseers has not even
him to put up bond and up to
late years didn't even ask him TO take an
oath of Office.
& Under the present law there is only
one way to check up the road overseer's
accounts, and that is for the board of
township supervisors to make regular
trips Of supervision over the town roads
and see for themselves as the work is
being done how much the township is
getting for its money. They certainly
have that right and have the right to hold
the oyerseers strictly to account for all
money and labor expended. Then all
honest overseers would get the credit
due them that could not be questioned
by carpers and growlers, while nanv dis
honest ones would become honest be-
cause they would know they were
watched. Ofcourse this would cost the
town something for supervisors per diem
but it would pay.
Every mile Of new grade should be
taken nom the hands Of the overseers
and lie. by contract to the lowest bidder
and also every large job Of repair work.
# any money is to be was.ed then it'll
would have to be done on the small re-
pairs and they couldn' 4 waste. much that
way.
Now we don't anybody to take this
personally [unless they think they they
deserve i'll but il stands out in great glar-
ing figures that thousands Of dollars that
are supposed 70 BE spent on onr roads IN
money and labor, are not so spent; that
many tax-payers pay but { small part oil