The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1907-03-15

by the splendid roads leading to them
and when he got away from there h
would know II by the mul
holes he would run into.
Not only was this true. bu
there was a great waste, because o
the ignorance and inexperience o.
these road builders. He was in ia
yor OF taking this power out OF the
hands Of the County Judge, and Civ
ing q back to the County Court
Mr.. Jno. NJ Grove thought one
great trouble with the present system
was that since the county was reds
tricted no one man could properly at
tend to an entire district; the dis
tricts were too large.
Judge Gordon said that no law was
a perfect law; that some defects might
be found In any law; but he thought
the present road laws of Maury county
were the best the county had ever
had He was opposed to going back
to the old system, and placing the
matter in the hands of the County
Court That would mean no further
appropriations; no more road build
ing.
Asked by Mr. Church If he did not
think the present law gave too much
power to one man, and was suscep-
tible Of being greatly abused. Judge
Gordon said he did not; that he did
not think the Law had been abused,
or could be abused. That he thought
the law should be so amended as to
provide for the condemnation of land,
and when that was done he did not
think the law could be improved upon.
H. p. Ffguers, Esq, said the pres
ent law was unconstitutional, In that
it makes no provision for the payment
of private property taken for public |
use; but that an amendment could |
cure that constitutional objection.
Squire Sanders spoke again. He
said the present law was simply a
farce; Just about as near no road law
as could be imagined. The tax levied
by the County Court is not half SUI
fcient. "Mr. Church here" he
said, is sample of why
want to keep it out of
the County Court The business
should be placed in the hands of a
County Road Commission, and tax Of
at least 20 cents provided for"
Esquire J. B. Brooks was strong
advocate of the district commission
sr system He insisted that each civ :
] district should have its own COM
missioner, who would be directly re-
ponsible to the people of his district.
lie did not think the present law was
Yearly SO bad as it was accused of be-
ng The law was better before it had
,een so much tempered with, but :,
With all its short comings the roads
t the county had been greatly improv-
d In recent years; il the districts
yere allowed to keep their own dis
'ict commissioners, and spend their
wn money. and manage their own az
hrs, the roads of the county would
ontinue to improve. He was in favor
taxing every man 81 as road tax, :,
nd If that was made the law he :,
fought II would work well. ~
Judge Erwin thought the biggest !,
ouble with this law was that it was
1t executed; and that II could not ~
would not be executed He IA
red County Road Commission, to
We all power and authority over the
ads, and to work out the details for
emselves. They should look after
..t,, 49, ~ da,
of
nv the
Id system of the county. They
1uld say where a road should be
/, and run it. And to do this, they me
)uld name the amount of money iio'
sded, and the County Court should a'i'
hide the sun named IN tbeir nm. dist
ANNO lhC gum lhCli
II tax budget The Road Commits. woi
n should have the same power over NJ
roads, as the County Court has ting
r the general business Of the had
Inty All roads should be built wer
the general good, and not for the thei
yenience of few, and for that shot
h..
son they should be built out of nous
eral county fund; just as the ana
cts of city are built by the gen. then
funds of the city He thought ing
salary should be large enough to Ju
a man for his actual time, and yet migi
large enough to attract mere Nj
ey hunters: and he thought there the
e good men in the county who said
Id be willing to serve on small the
ries for the good that they might That
o their county Roads should he as c.
where needed, and not influence requ
,y local subscriptions. General ed r
,aa4a aho,1j la onncidpra1 and ohao