The Paducah evening sun., 1910-01-04

the manifest injustice OF such leglsla-
ton can be.seen. Such a system was,
and Is, discrimination against the
poor, who were restricted in the use
of the highway according to their
means and ability 10 pay for the
same. IL resulted IN unequal bur
dens Indirectly paid for maintenance
Of the road. II stined the spirit and
ambition OF counties In their desire
TO improve all OF the roads. and stin
further suppressed business inter-
course OF the people.
I have referred, az length, TO the
toll gate systom provided by the
statute, because OF the fact that this
county, mp to 1897, had permitted IFS
nigh WAYS 10 be thus controlled and
operated by toll gate companies at
EreEt sacrifices made by both the
county and the people And in this
connection | think that too much
praise could not be given TO County
Judges Thomas and Tuily for the
splendid service rendered by them In
behalf OF the people IN bringing about
the purchase OF the rights OF the road
companies by the county, whereby
the county becomes the absolute gov
crning factor as to the control OF the
same. Prior TO the election at which
this question was voted upon by the
people. the credit TOT which should
be accorded Judge Thomas. the peo-
pie had no moana Of entering Padu-
cab. except upon the payment OF toll.
livery road leading out from the city
was gravoiod FOR a very few miles
only. just enough under the law 10
permit the establishment OF a toll
cate. Then the extent OF the Interest
of these companies In the roads was
confined &c the mileage OF their gravel
roads. and no greater. n the county
desired 10 make any further improve
ment beyond their terminal. Il was a
matter OF smnii concern 20 the COM
panies. All OF this expense was. OF
necessity. borne by the county. and
as ! think will easily De shown TO
very great extent. unjustly. by the
people, Wnen II came TO working the
roads
A. a matter merely OF information
] append some OF the tolls collected
under the law during the time Of the
ton gate companies In this county.
They will become Interesting. for the
sake OF comparison. when the aver
age farmer undertakes 20 see the dif-
ference In cost 10 him then and now.
when he wanted TO come 20 Paducah:
For every horse or mule. .....S .05
For every horse, mule or Jack
driven ............... .os
For each head of cattle. ....... .O2
For each vehIhlo drawn by one
horse or mulo............. 10
For each vehicle drawn by two
horscs ............... 20
For each pleasure carriage. two
hofses .........>. ........ 20
For same with four horses. 80
For each wagon. three horses. 80
For each wagon. four horses. 40
For same with hvc horses ..... 60
For same With SIX horses ...... 10
Empty wagons. onc-haif Of the above
rates.
Ncighborhood Travel and Hauling.
For each wagon loaded with
produce from the farm. two
horses ................S 80
For each wagon. three horses. as
For each wagon. four horses. .55
For each wagon. Ave horses. rs
For each wagon six animals. 100
Showing the cost to the patrons OF
the road. let as take few examples:
II a man we're truck gardener aud
came to Paducah on two hundred and
fifty occasions during the year. ne
would pay toll 20 the extent OF $50 II
he used two horses. That would be
the amount OF his gravel road tax.
put in polite sense. n. however, he
had only one horse hitched to his
wagon. he would still have paid the
sum OF S25 annually. As a matter Of
fact. that amount was more than the
road tax paid now by any citizen out
side of the city OF Paducah, In either
case. Then the farmer had but a few
miles OF gravel road over which he
could travel. aud was for the most
part, compelled 10 double with his
teams urtil he reached the gravel
roads. In addition 10 this enormous
burden. the citizen outside OF the city
was liable for other taxes for main
tenance OF the roads as well as liable
10 be made to work upon the roads
for not a greater time than six days
each yea. II will thus be seen that
a man owning. probably, not more
than 10 or 12 acres OF land could
easily have been made TO pay in the
ghborhood OF SEQ road tax, the
statute allowing him $3.50 per day
for work he did when he was warned
upon the roads. Today no citizen,
outside Of the city, pays one-fourth
OF the road tax that was paid by this
humble truck gardener at that time.
Passing from the tearing down OF
the toll gate IN McCracKen county,
desire to make some reference to the
other method OF working the roads,
countenarced by the statute, and
which was IN vogue here a few years
ago. and until. in fact dispensed with
BY the administration OF Judge Tully.
/ have reference to the system OF
work where the fiscal court has the
right each year 20 say whether the
roads shall be worked by general tax
alton or by requiring all able-bodied
citizens over Is and under so years
of age. except in cities ana towns, to
appear with tools furnished by the
citizens and work under the direction
OF the road supervisor. IL IL within
the province CO the fiscal court that
this may be done. alone. or that II
may adopt that method together with
general taxation. have always
fhcrrht this means o. tsvatian 70 he