Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1912-01-17

J cdtlOn muSI ne TAKEN up ny SOOu
| reads organizations in each county
!, Do you know that once the construc.
t:oa of good roads started in earnest
in your county or township that moth
ing can stop it. When one has been
mile to see the benefit. that good
roads are to him he will be the most
insistent one to have more and better
roads. This is the history Of the
movement in every state that now has
good road laws.
| DO you know that when you by law
force a few improvements onto man
! and make his property pay for the
benefit you have given him by the
enhancement of it's value, that while
he may fight the proposition at first,
he will eventually see that you have
made start in the improvement Of
his property and will do more improv-
ing himself. This is especially no.
ticeable in the work of improving and
identifying of cities. If We force
tle construction of sidewalks, curbs
and parkways, the property owner in
variably takes more pride in the APP
pearance of his private grounds and
the matter of assessments which he
has to pay for the improvements
forced upon him does not appear near
so large as when no was first told that
the improvement work was going
ahead So it is with tho improve
ment Of our country highways. Some
farmers will protest vigorously when
first he learns that he can no longer
work out his highway taxes under the
Anticipated system. but when he finds
! that he has a better road than he ever
had before over which to drive to
! town and transport his produce, and
at cost of construction no greater
to him than under the. old system, he
is going to have better wagons and
carriages and keep the farm yard and
grounds in better shape.
Abolish the Statute Labor Tax.
! How then can we secure better
roads in North Dakota? First, abol.
ish the statute labor tax. Second, pro-
vide for competent and skillful super
| vision over the construction of all
roads. Third. provide for the same
supervision over the maintenance of
! all roads. Fourth, teach highway en-
cheering In our Agricultural college
and State university. Fifth. state aid
in highway construction.
Concerning the adjustment of the
statute labor tax. TO show you how
the sentiment in favor Of the pay
ment of all highway taxes in cash is
growing throughout the United States.
call your attention to the fact that
at the present time nearly one-half of
the states now require by law either
that all highway taxes be paid In
! cash o: give the counties or townships
the power to vote to order money
! payment of all taxes. 1t is signifi-
cant fact that those states who have
| made the most progress in good road
construction have done away with
statute labor and their experience
conclsively shows that every practi-
cal builder in the country contends,
namely, that statute labor is the one
, great obstacle in the pathway OF
progress in permanent highway i'm
provement.
SktIlfuI Supervision Necessary.
Provide for competent and skillful
supervision over highway construc-
ton. Every state in the Union tia;
has accomplished anything worth
while in good roads construction, has
first created administrative machinery
under which are highway engineers
and practical road builders.
In some states this administrative
machine consists of highway COM
mission and in others simply a high
way commissioner. This administra-
tive board supervises all improve
ments made by the use of state money.
Further, every state pretending to any
progress in the building of good roads,
whether granting state aid or not have
provided fop an officer in the county
possessing certain specified Qualifi-
cations. whose duty it is to superin'
tend the road work Of the county. This
man is generally a civil engineer who
has had experience in road building
or who possesses the qualifications es-
sential to proper discharge OF his
functions.
This engineer makes plans for
bridges and road improvements ad-
vses about machinery and in general
assists the highway authorities of the
county with their work. Authority
over this county official is given the
state highway official with whom he
consults and co-operates.
Under the county official is the
township or district supervisor. This
township or district supervisor super
intends the work of the local road
overseers and aids them with advice
| and counsel
Thus you see the machinery for su-
! pervising highway construction. Is it
! not easy to see that with such super
vision Of highway construction our
! highway taxes will not only be more
judiciously expended but the work
done will be done with view of max
lag all improvement work done along
permanent and substantial lines.
County Superintendents Of Highways.
! During our last legislature bill
was introduced providing that the
| county commissioners should appoint
| county Superintendent of highways