Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-09-11
That Good Roads Bond Issue.

| iltNb ny SOpu totNS
| No class of citizens would be more
| benefited by good roads from Il finan-
ciai standpoint, than the farmers. and
| none are more willing to bear their
proportionate part of the expense of
building and maintaining such roads
provided they are built where they
will benefit all. With the large
amount of taxable property in the
cities, they can have excellent streets
without imposing an excessive burden
on the tax payers. but in the country
towns ii is an entirely different propo-
sition. For, with small population and
comparatively small amount of tax
able property in proportion to road
milage, not very large amount of
money can be expended on the high
ways without distressing the tax
payers. Up to the time of the enact
ment of the state road" law, the
taxpayers bore all of the expenses OF
building and maintaining the roads
and bridges, excepting the larger ones.
Every intelligent person knows that
an extra session of the Legislature
was sprung on the State OF Maine
last March; not only was this need
less. but entirely uncalled for. During
that extra session two or three bills
were sprung ON the Legislature, bills
of considerable Importance, were
passed by the Legislature without
their reference to any committee, so
that no citizen had an opportunity to
go Before a legislative committee and
express views or wishes regarding
them. One of the most important of
these was bill authorizing the State
TO issue bonds to the amount of
81, 600 900. as security for that amount
of money to be used in the building
OF roads. This is very innocent
looking bill-if it is not examined too
closeIy-but ii contains not one, but
several 'sjekers," as any one reading
it carefully will readily see. and that
part of it that is of the most inn
portance, and on which the citizens
are expected to vote. next Monday, as
an amendment to the State constitu
ticn, (and we venture the assertion
that many citizens have given the
matter but little if any consideration,
and many do not understand it even
now reads as follows:
Section il. The Legislature may
authorize the issuing of bonds not
tAtttttlil@ Slshhui1bv fiiiib0sAs at ciis
one time, payable within Il years, at
a rate of interest not exceeding four
per centum per annum, payable semi
annually. which bonds or their pro-
ceeds shall be devoted solely to the
building and maintaining of State
highways; provided, however, that
bonds issued and outstanding under
the authority of this section shall
never, in the aggregate. exceed $1,000
600; the expenditure of said money to
be divided equitably among the sew
eral counties OF the State
From the reports of the proceedings
OF that session, and newspaper COM
ments on this bill, it was supposed
that if this resolve is adopted as an
amendment to the constitution. that
the money was to be used in the
building of what are termed trunk
roads" and when these trunk roads
were first projected il was proposed
to build three or four of them through
the most important cities and bust
ness centers of the State, but il we
may judge from map issued while
Sargent was State highway commits
sioner, they are to be built in every
| county in the State, and while this is
apparently just and fair, it is not,
strictly speaking, entirely so.
If this resolve is adopted as an
amendment TO the State constitution
the State will hire 81 100000 and issue
bonds to that amount as security for
| the payment of that amount. The in
terest on s2,000,000 at per cent. is
| $So000 per year; an amount sufficient
| to build many miles of first class
gravel or crushed stone road, but it
win not build a single rod of road,
| for that is simply interest money. If
none of these bonds were cancelled
| until the expiration of the 40 years,
the State would have paid as interest
on those bonds, $3.200.000. almost one
| and thirds times as much as the
principal, or the amount available for
| building purposes
1t would seem to be a vastly better
| business proposition instead of TAX
| ing the money that it is proposed to
use for paying interest on this bonded
| debt, and to cancel a certain amount
| of those bonds from whatever source
| il may come. 60 and instead of hav
ing paid in the 40 years approximately
| s.. 200 600 with but $2,000.000 available
| IN S1,2UU,UuU 10 DuiiQ anu Ap'
pay the larger part of it as interest
money.
| OF course these bonds will not be
| allowed to run the full 40 years, but
a certain amount will doubtless be
cancelled each year: but II bonds te
| the amount of $4,000 or 100000 arc
cancelled each year, according to the
provisions of this resolve, the state
can issue bonds to the same amount
so that there will always be u bonded
debt of 81, 900, o0O and the State vii
pay approximately $4,000 per year OF
that bonded debt-sort of an endless
chain! said money to be divided
equitably among the several counties.
"Eauitably'' means fair, Just, glVlns
equal Justice, but will this money o.
so divided among the different coun
ties? 1t would hardly seem SO. TO
according to the map. these roads arr
to run practically clear across soih'
of the counties, as in Aroostook, iron
one end to the other, While in SOM
COMMITTEES there are to- be but yer!
few miles, so that in several oil IN
counties large proportion OF III
! ,.oa,1i,. win h.. benefited by these roads