The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1908-09-03

they were produced, worked very well.
Now q food product of the farm starts
over these highways on journey any
where from 100 to 5000 miles. The
roads are part of worldwide SYSTEM
of distribution. Their condition affects
the market of the world. Thus they
become OF State and National interest.
One by one the States are waking up
to the new condition apH are demand
ing good roads and that he cost of
them shall be fairly distributed and
not practically all paid by the farmers.
The roads are public property and we
have no more right to expect the farm
ers to pay all the road taxes because
be is the largest user of the roads than
to ask the lawyers to SIild the Court
House for the reason that they use the
building more than others. The public
owns the roads; let the public pay the
bill on an equitable pro-rating Of the
expense State aid does this.
Sixteen States have already adopted
the new plan and find 1t works TO a
charm. and ten more States are taking
steps to adopt it, 1t is strange that
among the States most backward I'm
road improvement are Illinois, Missouri
and Iowa. No States need good roads
more and none are better able to build
them.
The problem Of good roads must be
met and solved and the solution is State
and National aid. This should be the
goal of every good roads advocate.
When sufficient public interest is
aroused relief will come through Con-
gress and the several States. The
farmer then will only have to pay his
fair proportion.
Advantage of Good Roads to Farmers
The time has passed when any sane
person will dispute the advantage of
road good every day in the year-onc.
not put out of commission by rain or
frost. Everybody is benefited, as these
highways must be used in moving to
market the food products upon which
all depend. Bad roads make the deliv
cry cratic and uncertain and increase
the expense. Good roads make short
miles: bad roads long ones. Distance
Is no longer measured by the yard stick,
but by the clocks tick.
The farmers use the country roads
more than anyone else. but they do not
own them. They are public property
and used for the benefit of everybody,
Hence a fair proportion Of the cost to
build and maintain ought to be a charge
against the whole public Throughout
the Middle West the farmers are paying
practically all the road taxes. This Is
unfair.
In the building Of good roads the
farmers at first usually overlook the
fact that good roads always add to the
value Of the farms served by them
Farm lands worth $40 to 500 per acre
with dirt roads will enhance in value
from Is to % per cent by building good
stone or gravel roads. Under the State
aid plan that has been adopted by all
the States east of Indiana, hard roads
can be built in the Mississippi Valley
at an average cost not exceeding S1.J0
per acre. In Illinois the tax will not
exceed 10 cents per acre per year for
ten years. Every dollar put into good
roads on the State aid plan will add
from $500 to $1,000 to the actual sell
ing value of the farm.
Sometimes farmers say, you can't
raise any more corn by building good
roads, can you:" No. you can't raise
mOe corn If you build a new house and
barn. but these improvements make the
farm worth just that much more. They
add convenience and comfort. SO do
the roads.