Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-12-05

state aid is made. The fact that
without exception such aid has been
successful wherever adopted is the
strongest argument for its adoption
in Wisconsin. The legislature of
1905 passed joint resolution to
amend the constitution, making pos
sible the appropriation of money for
state aid In road building. This
joint resolution must be considered
by the legislature of 1907 and if
passed by it must be voted upon by
the people before any money can be
appropriated in Wisconsin to aid in
building roads.
The effect of the adoption of such a
system N Wisconsin can be judged by
its effect in other states. Where the
plan has been adopted the public
spirit of the citizens has been arous-
ed and their interest in the good con-
dition of the roads excited to such an
extent in some cases, as In New
York, Pennsylvania and Massachus-
etts, that millions of dollars have
been spent in improving the roads,
farmers of course receiving the main
benefits. According to careful
estimates the people have had more
than these millions returned to them
in the increased value Of the land,
and the investment of these vast
sums has therefore been amply
justified, even though they had to
be built directly by the country dis
tricts through which they passed.
The working Of state aid, however,
is such that the country districts
through which the roads pass do not
pay this full cost. In Wisconsin the
assessed valuation of farm property
is probably approximately equalled
by the assessed value of railroad and
city property. Under state aid all
the propert in the state is taxed for
the building of country roads, and
therefore the country property bears
only a part proportioned to its valua-
ton. This expenditure of taxes
raised upon cities and upon railroad
property in the building of country
roads is amply justified from any
point of view.
1t is pointed out in the bulletin
that railroads in many states have
been so keenly interested in the
! building of roads that they have sent
out experts and trains of machinery
to build sample roads in districts
along their lines. AS a railroad Of
fetal said at the building OF one of
these object lesson roads, his rail-
road served the country for not
over five miles on each side of its
track and if good roads were built
in the country it would serve the peo-
pie within a distance of rs or 30
miles. This would mean to his rail
road an increase in business of sew
eral hundred per cent" In the same
way are cities interested in the build
ing of good country roads. The. mer-
chants of the cities in several parts
of the state have given subscriptions
for the purpose of aiding in building
roads to attract the trade of country
districts. While they have done this
partly from philanthropic motives.
no doubt there has been also back of
their giving, the knowledge that they
would receive this money back in the
profits on increased sales of goods.
1t may at first sight appear to the
ordinary dweller in city who is not
in trade that he is in no way bene-
, flied by the expanding of taxes raised
upon his property for the building Of
country roads, but this is entirely
wrong, declares the author of the bull
letin. During tho national good
roads convention at st. Louis worlds
fair one speaker computed for the
benefit of his audience that the city
Of st. Louis paid each year in ex
cess freight upon goods delivered to
it from the surrounding country In
farm wagons s250,000 He stated that
this sum was paid by the city rather
than by the farmers because Of the
well known fact that the consumer
PAYS the freight" In other words
the farmer must make a living and
IL it costs him dollar more to hau
load of potatoes to town over a
bad road than It would over a good
road the persons who buy those po
tatoes must pay a dollar extra In
order to give the farmer that which
he has right to demand for his la
Dor. For these reasons, therefore
the application of state and county
money raised by taxing not only
farm property, but city property am
railroad property as well, is just
fed, even in the consideration o.
actual cash returns.
The giving of state aid Is ais
justified for the reason that 1t edt
Gates the farmer in the value
good roads and teaches him to bull
them for himself. This has bee
the case in ever state where such
course has been pursued. State al
has not been sufficiently extensiv
to pay for its share of all the road
which the farmers desired and as
consequence after once experient
ing the benefits of good road
they have gone ahead and bui'
them at their own expense witho
~,-a;+ircr Co. s4a+a money NOrhpr