Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-06-19
Iowa Newspapers
GOOD ROADS IN IOWA.
TAfton, Star-Enterprise.l

will see q great deal of attention paid
in Iowa to the good roads problem
When it is remembered that four and
one-half million dollars are spent an
nually in the state on the roads and
that scarcely Il dollars worth of per
manent benefit results, it would in
deed seem time that someone gave
the matter a little consideration.
What we need is not more money
spent on our roads, but a better system
of expending what we have allotted
for that purpose.
The Iowa Highway Commission
states that of the money expended on
could have been set aside for the con-
struction of permanent stone or gravel
roads. At the prices at which such
roads are actually being built in Iowa
this would have given us $50 to 500
miles Of stone road, or 1000 to l,o00
miles of gravel road in one year.
Seven hundred and fifty thousand
dollars could have been set aside for
grading, (building good substantial
grades and side bitches. in accordance
with a road engineers plans not
patching little here and little
there,) and at the prices at which such
work was actually let by contract in
some counties in Iowa, this would
have moved seven million five hum
dred thousand cubic yards of earth.
Three hundred thousand dollars
could have been set aside for dragging
the roads with King road drags. This
would have been sufficient to drag
every mile of earth or gravel road in
the state, thereby improving the earth
roads at least 100 per cent.
There would still have been left two
million four hundred thousand dol
lars. besides the poll toXes, for general
repairs, bridges and administration.
That all the above could actually
have been accomplished by such adj
ministration as a. great business cor.
poration demands and secures IS be-
yond dispute, and we must be content
with nothing less. The problem is to
train the men to do the work, to have
scientific Investigation Of lowa's road
conditions made for the use of cur
road officers and to educate the public
to demand and secure good roads, ana
to support proper business aohhifl'sera,
tion of our funds by experienced road
men.
THE REAL TAX BURDEN.
Esprit Lake Beacon.l
In every community there is heard
great deal of complaint about taxes
and the subscription paper necessary
to the support of government and the
various local enterprises and benevo-
lences. 1t takes a great deal OF money
in the aggregate to support the rea-
sonable demands of organized society
and when crops are poor and business
dull these burdens seem Particularly
heavy 1t ought to be remembered,
however, that these contributions are
not wasted, but on the contrary usual
ly prove good investments to the in
dividual as we'll as to the public
Where is the man who would cut out
his tax account if he could by dispens-
ing with the benefits of law and order.
of better highways, of relief to the
worthy poor, of the best public school
system in the world? Who would con-
sent to the destruction of the churches
and the retiring of all the pastors?
Who would abandon the helpful enter
prises made possible by the circulation
OF the SuDSCflpLlOn paper.
In this connection it would be inter-
esting to know the sums absolutely
wasted in the schemes of the smooth
promoter. It is safe to say that with
in twenty years the people of Iowa
have put into worthless stocks enough
to build all the churches and school
houses in the state. This may seem a
rash statement, but let the doubter
take his own community and do his
best to get at the facts remembering
that many who make a foolish invest
ment are inclined to keep very quiet
about it. In gold mine promotion
alone, every community has poured out
thousands of it's treasure. Here is a
line of investment that has never been
known to pay back anything on the
dollar. 1t is enough to take the nat
ural risk of winning OR losing on the
basis of actual mining operations, but
in these promotion schemes the invest
or gets nothing whether the mine pays
or not. For if the precious is really
there it is the purpose of the promoters
to freeze out the general investor.
Then the seductive oil we'll is a
great drawing card to the unwary, and
it swallows millions of IoWas hoard
annually. Other syndicate schemes,
either thru design or poor administra-
ton absorbs another big bunch of our
surplus every year.
Few realize the extent of board of
trade operations even in the smaller
communities. If these investors would
bet with each other as to the grain
supply and the effect of the pending
corner the money would at least be
takes the profits, but as the old timer
knows, it in the long run leaves the
country operator poor. Into this hop
per goes a heavy contribution of Iowa
money during the year.
Then the land business may be Just
as disastrous. Many in making pur-
chases of real estate are betting on the
rainfall in the arid regions and the eff
feet Of temporary conditions against
certain date. 1t is just about as
risky to borrow money to buy land in
the dry belt, or buy land anywhere
that must be sold by given time as
it is to blow lucre into the board Of
trade.
In almost all these avenues of waste
the promoter and the easy mark make
bad combination for general pur-
poses For our taxes and most local
contributions we get more or less of
value received. The money remains
largely in the community and is kept
in local circulation. The millions Iowa
loses annually on the board of trade
and in schemes of the willy promoter