The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1908-02-06
LAWS AND TAXES.
Bethel Township Citizen Gives His
Views on Matters OF Local in
terest.
SUGGEST CHANGES IN LEGISLATION.

There seems TO he a. general
complaint among the taxpayers
in this county about the exorbit-
antly high taxes, and about the
laws that impose those taxes dp-
on US. The truth is, that the
farmer is almost paying a high
rent upon the land for which he
has deed and the land paid for,
and receiving very little benefit
from the expenditure.
In the first place, our roads are
simply abominable. In many
places in this township, they are
next to lmpassable. The tax is
higher than ever, and the roads
are worse than | have ever seen
them. There Is now a talk of all
cash tax for the roads. The trou
6le seems to be, that they can.
not get hands to work the roads.
One reason for this is the wages
allowed per day. A farmer is ex
pected to leave his work on the
farm and go on the road for a dol
lar day and board himself, while
at the same time, he must pay
81. 25 or 81. so for hand to do the
work he is leaving on the farm.
Very few farmers feel willing to
do this.
If we are to have an all-cash
tax, why not have contract roads
each contractor giving bond to
keep his portion of the road In
good condition-no MN taLlng
more road than he can keep up.
A farmer, thus having contract,
could take bis shovel after a
heavy rain, go over Lis road, or en-
the breakers, and keep the read
in good condition for half what IT
costs now-as he would not have
TO wait for the Road Boss to get
ready to work the road, but could
work it to suit HIM mself--or when
ever the road needed it.
We now have two elections q
year, costing the county nearly
eight hundred dollars each, and
to this may be added the addi-
tlonal expense of nominating the
candidates under the new law,
and we have a total expenditure
of about two thousand dollars a
year. Why net elect all officers
at the fall election and do away
with the expense of the spring
election? This plan, and the old
way of nominating the candidates.
would save the county about
twelve hundred dollars year.
If a delegate had a good show for
spending thirty days IN jail for
violating his instructions, there
would be very few instances
where the penalty would be in.
flicted.
But-the most obnoxious of all
the laws is the health law, which
requires a certificate from the at
tending physlcian-w hich may
be right-but to be ot Iiged TO go
to Registrar and get permission
before you can bury your dead
is all wrong. Why not let the
same physician that gives the Ger
tlfcate, give the burial permit
If any one can see why permit
should be given at all? This
would save the friends of the de
ceased much rouble; for first
they must hunt up the doctor,
and then, perhaps, travel a dis
tanCe Of twenty-five miles-in
perhaps the worst kind of wealth
er-to find the Registrar, then
away TO the undertaken, which
may add another score of miles.
Surely the sooner this law is
amended or repealed the better.
1 1t might do IN towns or cities,
but it does not fit in sparsely sat
tied communities.
We now have four tax collec.
tors some getting as much as
seven per cent. for handling the
money passing through their
Glands. If one collector handled
1t all, he could do it for two per
cent, and the rest could st'y in
the pockets Of the already over
hurdaned taxpavar