The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1907-03-14
Country Roads.
(By q Bates County Farmer.l

By Bates County Farmer.l
In my last weeks article on this
subject, I tried to show some OF the
faults In the old system of road work
under Township Organization, claim
Ing that We did not get more than
fifty per cent value received for our
money, and for the lack Of care lost
the greater part Of that.
want to offer another plan that /
think will not only give us more than
100 per cent In results, make better
roads, but leave them at the end OF
the year enough better to equal %
per cent OF the money expended. /
admi. this IL pretty strong, but | be.
lieve the plan will make good.
THIS is TAE PLAN.
Let the working and care Of each
piece Of road TO the person most inter-
ested in il, and pay them for their
work at the end Of the year.
II there is more than one interest
ed, let Is to th- best offer. divide It
among them, or let Is to them ointly.
The object is to have some one re-
sponsible Tor the piece o! road Tor the
whole year. The party 10 whom the
work is let should contract to make
the necessary repairs, drag it a GER
tain number Of times In proper time
and manner, keep bitches and cul.
verts open and see that that piece OF
road is kept in good repair TO the
end OF the year.
But, you ask, can this be done un-
der our present law, and will the peo-
pie take thu contracts? Yes, to the
first question, but Is will b. necessary
to make some change In the way We
have been doing things
Under the law We have q Township
Board, who have charge and control
OF the affairs II the township
(Spe Art IN. T'wasN'D Orgsnizs
TOM Isis the duty ot the Board to
divide the township into convenient
road districts, and appoint a-suits
bic person Tor road ovarSeer in each
District. who shall hold the Off un,
til the next regular township elec
tion, etc. (Ser 1u32l J
There l. nothing t, prevent The
Board from msking th" whole town
ship one district, if they thought II
most "couveniput. and IT. would h,
easier IT, tiua OF - "smgihie UveTracl
than tour nr more.
Another chang. y rSSorr Womb h
to have ali road taxes, both prop
prty and poll. paid In money. Sec
1927 road law SAYS: Every tax
payer. except railroads, telpgraphI
and telephones. shall pay to the roaC
oversaer OF his iirtri,s tie amuuntO
road tax DUE for the rdrrent year il
money or labor. as designated hy
order OF the Township Board lti'
plain that the Board must make ~
order as 80 how the tax shall be paid
and that they can make il either way
as they may deem best.
See. 1888 SAYS: THE Road Over
seer shall use his best endeavor II
keep the roads Ia his district In gooC
repair, make an equitable applica
tion oi the funds on all she roads II
proportion tn their utility, etc.
Note that Is does not SAY that h'
shall do the work himself, nor thai
he shall even warn out from one tr
three men and boss them at 81 pc
day, but thsJ he shall use his "bes
endeavor;' and there Is nothing t.
hinder him from using said best en-
deavor" In some other way. A care
iul reading OF the law will show tina
he is to be what the term implies
Road Overseer, and be Ia responsible
for the condition OF she roads. 1t i
his duty to collect the taxes and pa.
them out, to repair and care Tor tn
roads, to care for the tools belonging
to the district, etc. To perform thes
duties It Ia obvious that he mus
have help, and he may hire (contrac
with one man or one hundred a
seems best.
Will the people take the contracts
Lets look at it from the standpoin
OF the people, one Of which l am. Tn
overseer comes to me and says
Here is q piece OF road along you
farm that you ought to be as muc
interested in as any one. There is
mud hole down there that must b
filed, and ditch must be opened +
let the water away from that culvert
then II Il is dragged about five time
In right time and manner, and tn
bitches and culverts kept open 1t wi
be good road. What will you d
the work for and keep 1t In good col
d;t,on FOR q vearo I make an a, at