The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1905-12-28
MAY CHANGE ROAD LAW
Representative Bailey Proposes to
Give Tax Credit for Dragging

Representative NJ. u. Bailey of Grant
township will urge in the coming SEES
sion CT the Iowa legislature that the
Anderson road law be amended so as to
credit on their road tax those farmers
who keep the roads passing their farms
in good shape with the King road drag,
says the Mt. Ayr News.
The new road law requiring all road
taxes paid in cash has been the subject
of good deal of criticism ever since it
was adopted, and as the criticism has
not died down after trial of several
years, legislators who like Mr.. Bailey
have the interests of the farming
community at heart desi re to change
the law to make it more acceptable.
Mr.. Bailey writes to the News that he
may not introduce this bill at all, but as
he believes something Of the kind is
needed he offers the bill as suggestion
and invites public criticism and com-
ment. He has shown the draft of the
measure to number of leading farmers
in his community, and has found that it
meets with their approval.
The Bill.
The proposed measure in it's present
form is as follows:
IAN act for working the public
highways.
"Section 1. Be it enacted by the
general assembly of the state Of Iowa.
The senate concnrring, That on and
after the passage of this act that the
trustees of each township in the state
of Iowa shall be authorized by this act
to have the public highways under
their control and supervision worked
by using the King road drag.
section ,. That said trustees
shall have the said King road drag used
on the public highway under their con-
troll not less than ten times, for each
mile of road of said highway during
any one year, and at a cost for such
work not to exceed so cents per mile
for each time so worked.
Section 3. And said trustees shall
see in working the public highways
under this act, that the preference shall
be given to the persons near and
adjacent to the public highways through
out the different townships"
i Arguments for the Bill
\ Some of the arguments in favor of a
measure of the kind are outlined as
follows: First, it would result in every
foot Of road in the state being dragged;
second, the dragging would take place
ten times in every year; third, it would
result in every man working the road
along his own farm, where he is directly
Interested; fourth it would give the
. farmc rs a chance to work out part o,
!, their tax, instead of paying all in cash
!, Of which they have been complaining
| fifth, would cost not over $3.50 in any
one township; sixth, it would result il
every mile of road being put in good
shape within five years, and ther
kept so.
Speaking further in regard to roac
dragging Mr.. Bailey writes:
; "Mr. King says to drag after rair
, while the road is slushy so it will pud
die. That would be alright if you
could keep the people off the roads unit
they got dry, but the roads are there
and the people will travel. Hence the
first wagon that goes over the roaC
| leaves itabout as bad as before. Nov
| claim we should go over the road will
| drag just when it is dry enough so the
dirt will not be sticky; then the trave
packs it into hard solid road. Mr.
Kings lecture meant drag, drag all the
, time, and if his theory were strictly
carried out it would leave farmer nc
time at all to farm. The King drag i:
alright, but we must not expect too
much from our farmers during crop time
and to do it for nothing at that.