The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1912-03-15

Under date OF March 9TH see in the
system by f. y. Chase of Waverly
township, who has taken stand
against the adoption of the system in
Van Buren, county.
BY careful study of Mr. Chase's
article find that he is utterly opposed
TO the county system, and advises the
voters to lect 1t at the spring cleo
ton. One of the main objections OF
MIR. Chase is the great expense Of
maintaining the office of commits
sioners; one item being that their sal
airy is from $500 to $500 per day of
actual time spent.
Do YOU call that excessive after pay
ing expenses of the same? He says 1t
adds three more county officers to pay.
Well suppose it does; is 1t any more
out OF proportion to have three COM
missioners TO build the roads of this
county than 70 have D supervisors to
do the other business? Again he says,
u am i'm favor Of good roads but am
everlastingly opposed to Hastetul and
unnecessary expense.
Let u take Kalamazoo county, our
neighbor on the east, that has had
the system ia operation for two years.
Two years ago it was a hard matter
TO find a mile stretch of good well
constructed road in that county. Now
it has completed up TO November LIST,
1911, 80 $40 miles gravel road, and
Armies macadam roads, and under
construction ii Is miles, making a
total of IS 10 miles upon which
work has been done within a period of
two years. You will readily see they
are getting something for their money.
l would like to mention Dickinson
county This county has adopted the
system. have hunted in this county
for several years in company with
Mr.. Ckase. and i IS safe 70 say there
was not a mile of good road in Dick
inson county until they adopted the
county system. Last year l had the
pleasure Of riding ov er a portion of
county road built from Charming to
Republic. a distance of about 20
miles, the commencement of a good
roads system in Dickinson county,
and don't forget that Van Buren,
county helped build that road. l
mention these counties to show you
that they get results under the county
system.
In Mr.. Chase's comparison of Van
Buren, county to Wayne county he has
taken the two extremes. He has taken
the richest county in the state, with
the city of Detroit within its borders,
and has compared it with Van Buren,
county for the purpose Of showing the
expense account.
Mr. voter Of Van Buren, county, do
you suppose Wayne county, that has
been under this system since 1896,
would still continue under a system
that they were not satisfied with?
Remember, the people can vote this
system out az any time. And did you
know that Wayne county voted 32UJ),
900 road bonds last year TO 10 spent
>fn the next FIVE years on the h'glwa >
of WAYNE county?
Do yon tnlk the tx payeys would
bond them - YES fJr s)nethiu., they
did not o.ta.
This good roads question is not a
local atftir 1t is ole OF the most
talkcd-O, su jects in the Unieed States
today. Evcyoue uses tue main roads
Then a iopt the county system and
let everyone help pay for them. Van
Buren, couuty is building her high
ways today under the same system
we have had for the last 3 years. We
have advanced in every other depart
ment but this. Would you go back TO
the scytne and cradle to cut your
grain? 70 The old pan system to raise