The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1912-03-22

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attitude toward Mr.. Lee and TINS
county road system may not be mis-
understood | wish TO say that l con-
slider Mr.. Lee my most valued ana es-
teemed friend, and whatever | may
say upon this subject is not Tor the
purpose of questioning his motive or
integrity. / have no quarrel TO pick
with anyone because they don thihk
as / do
l am opposed TO this county road
system for this county and | hope III
this article 70 make plain my reasons
l am PERFECTLY willing 70 trust the
electors 10 decide the question ana
only wish to see the matter fairly pre-
scented. I am not taking the position
that the county system is not practi-
cal in some counties, as | think 1t is
in a great many of them. Here are
some of my reasons for opposing 1t
for this county:
l don't believe the request or call
for this system came from the rank
and file of the people, but from out
side influences combined with certain
inside interests; that the proposed
system is no great improvement over
the present system and would be more
in the natur of luxury than
necessity, which would double our
county tax without materially reduc-
ing our township tax; that the people
would not all be benefited alike, as
those who live the main thorough
fares would be directly benefited while
those who lived farther back would
receive little or no benefit. 1t would
be taxing the many for the benefit of
few. 1t would be adopting larger
unit and materially remove control
from the people. To illustrate: Money
raised in one township could be used
in any other township in the county
and the people where the money was
raised would be powerless to prevent it.
My greatest reason is because the
system is not feasible or practical in
this county because we have so many
miles of road to build and so small an
amount of property on which to spread
the tax, or, in other words, in order to
get money enough to make the plan
workable we would have to tax our
selves to the limit prescribed by law,
and then such amount not bein &
enough, we would have TO progress
slowly or proceed to bond the county
To show why the system is practi-
cal in some counties and not in others
l will compare this county with
Wayne. This county is allowed to
spread a tax of IS on a 81, 900 valua-
ton. Wayne is allowed 10 spread
a tax Of so cents on $1,000 valuation.
We would derive from our tax about
$50, 600 and Wayne would derive over
S215, 600. In other words, we would
pay six times the rate that Wayne did
and only get little over one fifth as
much, and we have just as many
miles Of road to build as Wayne has.
Mr.. Lee advocates the system be-
cause it brings results The above
shows why it brings results. And
hasn't the old system got results? Its
has taken this county
from a wilderness with no roads to
the present with all the roads the pub
lie needs require, and if anything is
it is not so much the system,
but intelligent application, which the
new system would be just as faulty.
Mr.. Lee takes us to Dickinson coun-
ty for an example and l am glad he
has, and what he didn't tell you about
that county | will Dickinson county's
interests are mining and timber.
There is very little farming and the
land is principally owned by specula-
tors. There are only seven organized
in the county. The settle
ments are mainly along the railroad,
and all the roads they require is TO
get from one settlement to another.
He said he had the pleasure Of riding
over a portion of road recently built
from Claiming to Republic, a distance
of about 20 miles, and emphasizes
the fact that Van Buren, county
helped build that road. Now the fact
is, he rode over or saw about one mile
of Dickinson county road. There was
from two to four inches of snow on
the ground and he must have gotten
very enlarged ideas from viewing that
road. The road in question was built
last summer and parallels the G. M
81 S. p, railroad, a portion of the way
over an old supply road made by lum-
Der interests. 1t is just common dirt
road laid on no particular line, but
winds around the hills to avoid cuts
and grades, and is not state award
road. 1t is no better than o5 per cent
of the roads in this county. Dickinson
county has had the county road sys-
TEN eight years last May and in that
time has taken over as county roads
800 miles of road at an average cost
of IS, $50 per mile, liz miles of this
road is macadam, which drew state
award of 81, 900 per mile. The other 10
miles are common dirt roads with no
state award. Would this county be
satisfied with such results?
He says, Remember you can get
rid of this system any time by petit
tioning the board of supervisors"
which is not strictly correct, as Ka1.
amazoo county did that very thing
a little over year ago and was turned
down. 1t is not mandatory on the
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