The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1906-02-23
How Farmers Can Get Roads With
out Paying Heavy Taxes
For Them.


terest of every rural resident of the State.
Good roads are a boon to the farmer and
others who are compelled to use them in
the pursuit of their business, such as lew
who never have occasion to travel the
county highways can appreciate.
Right here in the Sixth district we have
an object lesson of the value of good
macadam road in the two and an eighth
miles built under State supervision and
leading from Pennington to Rising Sun,
which at this season of the year is prov.
ing its worth, the amount of travel over il
showing conclusively that all who can
possibly make use of it, even though it
may not be the most direct route to town
for them, take advantage OF it in every
instance, whether hauling heavy loads or
driving in light vehicle.
And while the cost of the road was
complained OF by those who cling SO per-
sistently to old methods and find fault
with every improvement which is little
in advance of their own slow moving
ideas, no one who has had the satisfaction
of using it can doubt for an instant that
the money was we'll invested, when he
compares it with other roads in our neigh
borhood, considers the amount spent
upon them year, after year in temporary
patching and tinkering-called mending
and sees the return for the money ex-
pended in this sort of road work. BY all
means give us good roads, and the fol-
lowing extracts from the editorial men
toned will serve to point the way:
''The farmers of Maryland are so well
aware of the advantages of good roads
that it is unnecessary to dwell upon the
subject, the practical question being how
to obtain them. Good roads increase the
value of land not merely from the pleasure
landowners have in their use, but chiefly
from cheapening the operation of raising
and marketing crops. Practical men
testify that they haul twice as much on
good roads as on bad and in halfthe time,
with less wear and tear on team and
wagon. Good roads increase the de-
maud for land and raise its price by
population, while bad roads
repel newcomers, keep out capital, dis.
courage enterprise, cause intelligent
farmers to leave and lower the value of
both land and crops. Good roads save
much time the money value of which il
is hard to measure. 1t is estimated that
our Maryland farmers, having 4,952, 1870
acres of farm land, haul materials and
products at an average cost.of STA a
haul, in the aggregate IS, 600, 900 year
If by means of good roads they reduce
this cost of hauling one-ha1f their annual
saving would be some &, 100000.
''The bad condition of the roads Of
Maryland is due to want of money TO
build them and inefficient county meth
DDS of using such funds as are available
for roadmaking. The amount spent in
the. State on roads and bridges in 1903
was about $3.50, 900, the average in the
five years ended with 1903 having been
1924, SOS. il to the sum of 500, 900 esti
mated as likely to be spent in the coun-
ties in 1906 be added the $500, 900 avail
able under the Shoemaker law of 1904, it
will appear that the yearly burden of
taxation now resting upon the people for
roads is about 5000, 1000. With proper
methods of roadmaking this expenditure
should give results, but goods roads are
expensive, and it is desirable TO find a
new source of revenue which will not
only increase the sum available yearly
for roads, but ultimately remove entirely
the heavy road tax now paid by our
farmers. Such a source of revenue,
hitherto untapped, is found in the pro-
posed Hannah Oyster Planting law. 1t is
the only practical method in sight for
insuring a large and increasing revenue
applicable to roadmaking. Not only will
it revive decaying industry, but il,
promises large benefit to the farming
interest in all parts of the State.
"Shall our farmers get relief from the
tax of 500, 900 or 5000, 900 now necessi-
tated for good roads, or shall they con
tinue to bend their backs to the burden
1t is in the power of the Legislature now
in session at Annapolis to give relief by
passing the Hannah bill. If the legisla-
tors lack interest or conviction in respect
to the Haman bill and its provision for
good roads. it is for their constituents to
instruct and stimulate them in the right
way. 1t is particularly incumbent upon
the farmers, as the chief bene6ciaries of
good roads, to write to their representa-
tives at Annapolis and urge them 70
action. The pressing and the practicsh