Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1907-07-25
1T IS FOLKS ROAD FIGHT
The Governor is Taking up the State
Highway Project : He viii 60
After it With His Characters.
tic Energy It Win Cost
q Farmer Only $5
Year on 100 Acres.

Kansas City star
Governor Folks confidence that a
great macadamized highway from
Kansas City to st. Louis win be built
before the close Of his administration
is characteristic of the man. 1t Is
also an encouraging reason for think
ing 1t will be done.
Other governors have talked OF
great roads, but have counted toe
much on the ultra conservation OF the
average Missouri farmer. When
Folk is satisfied that he is right he
goes into a thing with confidence and
works at 1t persistently. There is
nothing much for him to do In the
next few months and Folk intends to
tackle the highway proposition with
his usual energy and follow 1t to the
details Of district organization. The
state board OF agriculture has ire
mendous influence with the farmers
and the assurance Of that body that
the road will pay its cost many times
over to the projectors will have weight
with the farmers.
ROAD DISTRICT NEXT.
Under the system by which 1t is
proposed to build the road the coun-
try people must themselves organize
road districts. They will be urged to
do It. Governor Folk himself will
help In campaign that will include
schoolhouse meetings in the farming
districts to urge the completion Of
the road. The law is not very we'll
understood and the details must be
explained TO the farm owners who
will help pay for the proposed road.
Under the road district law which
the board Of agriculture will attempt
to develop the people OF q communi-
ty may form voluntary road dis
trict. 1t may be two miles wide and
can extend few miles or entirely
over county. This district becomes
a corporate body with, the rights of a
corporation. 1t can accept or reject a
route laid out by the state highway
commissioner and can decide whether
it will grade or macadarnize a road
and whether the work shall be paid for
In one, five, ten or twenty years. The
farmers are to vate according te the
number of acres they own.
1t is estimated that this road will
cost "a 900 q mile and at least 81, 900 a
mile will be furnished by the state
under appropriations already made.
This leaves $1,000 a mile to be raised
by the land owners. Land fronting on
the road will be charged much more
In proportion than land In the dis
trict half mile or more away. Where
farms are square, 100 acre farms,
quarter sections according to govern
ment survey, there are $40 acres 'front.'
ing each mile Of road.
ONLY THREE CENTS AN ACRE.
That will make the cost Of the road
less than fifty cents for each acre even
II land farther away mustFpay moth
ing. But II the jury which must de-
eide the proportion payable for each
tract in the district shall charge 20
per cent to land In the district but
half q mile or more away from the
road forty cents an acre will pay for
the road. Divide this into twenty
year payments and the cost year is
two cents an acre with an average ad-
ditional charge OF about one cent an
acre year for interest. The total
tax year on 100 acres will be about
s5 the first few years and grade down
to s3.40 In the last year or two of the
payment. The very small expense at
tendant upon the building OF such a
road is something many farmers have
not studied and that is one OF the rea-
sons Missouri roads are bad.
1t is the intention Of the governor
and Of the board Of agriculture that
before next spring every farmer in
the counties where this road is to be
built shall understand the law and be
given practical information to show
that the benefits are many times
greater than the expense. Governor
Folk is taking this up as a very impor-
tant work Of the administration and
he will enter the campaign for build
ing the road with that in mind and
make his fight just as he made his
race for governor or his fight to close
the saloons on Sunday. He fully ex-
poets to win.