The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-07-19

road commission. and many sub-of- hcers to superintend the work, and thus increase the State offices and ex- penses in the salaries. unless 1t works through the commissioners' court, or boards of revenue of each county, just as the law now provides. Honorable John Graft in his recent address tSun- day Advertier 2Sth ult), comes out boldly and says Cast your vote to amend the constitution. so that the Legislature can if 1t wishes create highway commission. and give State aid to the upbuilding of our much neglected country roads" The Ledger says too many State officers already. and the people are tired of it. Vice President Craft says cast your vote so that the Legislature may create a State Commission. which of course is composed of State officers.
 These advocates of the good roads movement remind me of the school teacher, who. when asked by a so- licited patron of the school whether he taught the world was fiat or roundT replied that he taught either way, just as he thought the one or the other would please patrons best.
 Mr. Craft is evidently correct No considerable expenditures by the State can be made upon roads without . State Commission and many sub agents, unless the present plan of using commissioners courts and coun- ty boards of revenue is utilized.
 If the State Commission Is created, will the authority be vested in the Commission to determine in what part of the State the work shall be first done, or will the Legislature deter mine? One or the other must exer- else the authority, in determining
 what counties or localities must be first favored. Is 1t right for any county to wait ten or fifteen or twenty years or more, before they are to get any benefit. while other counties are being built up7 What chance will the agricultural counties, with small representation In the Legislature. have to compete with the populous coun- ties? What advantage is 1t to distant counties to contribute money to build Alabama to the Gulf, or between any other two points in the State? True. the people adjoining. and cities through which 1t Is constructed, will have their property values enhanced. and enjoy special privileges, but those living at a distance. and not deriving any benefit, will be forced to con fit of others. People do not object to being taxed for educaton, for the old
 soldier, or for the payment of sal aries for necessary State officers, for the people throughout the State de- rive c proportionate share of the benefit from these sources, and they realize 1t a duty to sustain these 1 causes But how can this rule be ap- piled. when the benefits are to accrue to only comparative few. as will be the case for such improvements as will be made by q State road com mission?
 Again, who can hold State Com mission responsible, or the Legisla- ture responsible for it's action. or for waste of funds? Will the commission and sub agents be elected by the peo- pie or appointed by the Governor? If the former policy be adopted, then we have more ofacers, more politics, more wrangling. and that throughout the State. If the Governor appoints. then we add to his already excessive au- thority, by giving him more ofiices to fll, and enabling hm to make a more invincible machine. How much simpler and fairer the present plan Of letting each county manage its own road system.
 If the members of the commission ers' courts, as now constituted, do not perform their duties properly, they are before the people who elected them. and the people will weigh them in the balance of availability, and if not satisfactory. will turn them out and substitute others.
 Agains-There is no necessity for the movement. Under the Constitution. as 1t is. each County has the right to ap- propriate from the county revenue, for the working of pubic roads. It has the further right to impose a special tax for. bridges and roads. If these sources prove Inadequate, each county by a vote of the qualified voters of the county, can issue bonds for road pur- poses. Thus 1t is left with the voters of each County to fully provide all the money the county can afford to ex- pend, and the people themselves are permitted to judge for themselves. and supervise the working and expenditure of the money at home. This is home rule and democratic throughout. and they get the benefit of their own money. submit. this is far preferable to the plan of turning over to the Legisla- ture the power to determine what roads shall be worked and what coun- ties shall be benefited, and who shall supervise the work. Many counties have avaAled themselves of the authori- ty to issue bonds for road purposes. Other counties. so far. prefer not to go in debt and are utilizing their pro- ceeds without an increase of taxation, or a bonded debt. the interest upon which must be met annually. in addi- ton to the ordinary expenses required of each county.
 We have no prisoners captured in
 battle. nor slaves. nor wealth wrung from conquered countries. as Rome had, to expend upon roads. and if the repu- tation of Bonaparte rested only upon the roads fhe constructed. by taxation.
 and wealth wrested from other coun-
 tries. there would be none to honor his memory. The example of Rome and France might be urged upon the
 Federal Congress. as furnishing a bet | ter outlet for the flow Of a part of the | immense revenues received by the l United States from an negotiable and | iniquitous tariff, but can never justi- | fy a property tax upon the citizen, or | the appropriation of money derived from a property tax for road purposes, Mir. Craft cites the city of Mobile as an example to illustrate how much his own property has increased in value | by the expenditure of forty thousand dollars per mile for the improvement | of the streets of the city. No doubt | this is true, and the owners of proper ty adjoining the good roads established in Montgomery, Jefferson and other l counties, might also be cited. I would | enquire how much the citizens oi | Greene and other distant counties were | benefited by the paved streets of the one. and good roads of the other? | make the further enquiry would il | have been right to tax the property oi | the citizens of these distant counties