The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1911-06-16
GOOD ROADS ARE
NOW WITHIN sight
GOOD ROADS ELECTION WILL BE
HELD TOMORROW IN THE
CALDWELL DISTRICT.

People Living in Town Have Right
to VOte-District Law is Best Leg.
islatiOn at Hand-PeOple Should
Take Advantage of Present OppOr-
tunity to Get Highways.
Tomorrow the people in the pro-
Tosed Caldwell Good Roads District
will vote upon the question: Shall
such proposed good roads district be
organized? 1t is clearly up to the
people themselves. 1t was the pur~
pose of the act of the legislature to
enable the people in a given locality
to improve their roads If they saw
fit. That the law is not without
its faults is easily apparent to all.
No enc pretends that it is a perfect
measure. All hope that it is an
Improvement upon the present sys-
tenn To try out the law, learn it's
deficiencies, and finally to get a
nearly perfect measure is the pur-
pose Of those promoting the organic
alton Of the district At the next
session of the legislature errors and
mistakes will be corrected.
At this time it is within the power
Of the people to take advantage of
the best legislation we have at hand.
The organization of the district is
the first step, and opportunity to
vote upon such organization will be
given the people tomorrow.
In this connection and at this time
1t may not be inappropriate to say
that no one, so far as we know, ex-
poets to enter upon an extensive and
expensive course of road improve
ment. There is no desire to levy
an unusually heavy tax upon the
people that good roads may be built
at once. In fact, under the good
roads district law no higher tax can
be levied than under the present law.
1t is true a bond issue may be made.
hut only by vote of the people.
The idea is to spend the money we
are now spending to the best ad-
vantage possible; to make perman-
ent Improvements where we now re-
sort to makeshifts; and finally, as
the people feel able, to build good,
substantial, permanent highways.
Under the present system the
money is spent but we do not get
good roads. We do not try to lay
the blame on anyone in particular.
The county commissioners are sup
posed to look after the roads, each
in his district. The county COM
missioners have hundred and one
things to do besides looking after
the roads in a territory so large
that 1t would occupy the entire time
of half a dozen men. In consequence
the roads have received the most in
different attention, and they will
continue to receive the same kind
of attention so long as the present
system Is in vogue. Under the
district plan, three men, who will re.
ceive no salary, will look after OF
supervise the roads in the district
1t will be their business to see that
the roads are maintained in good
condition and they will be account,
able to the people for their trust
They will employ a competent road
builder to build and maintain the
roads in the district and they will
see that he does his work.
There are two ideas paramount II
the highway district law. viz: Tt
enable the people to build good
roads in the first place; second, t.
enable them to fix responsibility TO
bad, impossible roads. To do tn,
} FIRST the law provides that 95 pc
cent of all money raised by taxation
, for road purposes shall be spent II
; the district: and also bond issue
are permitted by vote of the PEG
, pie. To accomplish the secont
three road commissioners shall b.
, first appointed, and afterward elect
/ ed by the people, to see that tn
: money so raised is wisely and eco
} nomically spent. In other word
the highway district plan is a kim