The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-01-22
NEED OF GOOD ROADS.


vor of the movement FOR good roads,
aud have always approved every prom,
isiug effort 90 secure them. Our re
crct as To roads has becn. in the past,
that 50 much good money was wasted
under prctensc of making or repairing
roads. when rs matter of fact no
advancement was made, and tho roads
after series of years aud tho cx-
penditurc of large sums of money. were
no better than. if as good as they were
in tbe,frst place.
Under amended legislation the State
is given jurisdiction over the good
roads movement. and good work has
been done in this direction by Warden
Arthur Pratt OF the State Penitentiary
in the application Of convict labor
to good roads work The work thus
done has been in every way satisfac
tory. and such Judgment and care have
been applied in the handling OF the
convict camps that no convict has
permanently escaped, tbcre having in
fact been very few attempts al escape,
and those attempts have been either
frustrated at the time or the fugitive
rcca ptured.
Everything testifies TO the genuine
interest Of the people of Utah in the
advancement of good roads work The
bills prepared for the Legislature by
the Committee on Good Roads have
been approved by meeting held in the
Commercial Club on Monday evening.
These bills provide for the issue Of
bonds amounting to Sl,620,O00, the
money to be divided equally among
the counties. We think an improve
ment upon this would be for the appli-
cation under the direction OF the State
Highway Commission of the money
where ii is most needed to procure re-
lief TO the people. in opening good
roads where the difficulty and the
need are greatest. Under the issue "a
proposed. the apportiopment might be
greater than the need in some counties,
and in others less.
The proposition TO Issue these bonds
is accompanied, as is quite proper, with
a plan providing taxation on vehicles
TO such an amount as will provide for
the interest on the bonds and sink
ing fund for their redemption at ma.
turity. IL is reckoued that the inter.
est on the bonds at 4 per cent would
amount to S64,s00 wear The
special tax on vehicles as proposed
would as is estimated, raise 100000
a year. The surplus Of this revenue
over what is required 10 pay the in
terest would be put into sinking fund
to take care Of the bonds. The people
OF this State, we believe, are prepared
to ratify a proposition Of this kind,
and also they would no doubt ratify
the proposed constitutional amend
meut TO be submitted two years hence,
allowing the money derived from all
vehicle licenses to 90 into the sinking
fund for the final redemption Of these
bonds. -
There is a suggestion, however, con-
nected with this matter that should
be kept entirely out Of it. That is the
proposal to make part Of the S1,620,-
900 good road bonds the 81 100000 Of
capitol bonds already provided FOR,
but not issued or negotiated. We be-
lieve these matters should be kept en-
tirely separate. There is no reason
whatever why the good roads move
ment should eucroach upon the State
Capitol, nor why the capitol fund
should be mixed up in any way with
the good roads propaganda. Both good
roads and the capitol are desirable for
the State, bur neither should encroach
upon the assets Of the other. 1t is
true that the Hartman inheritance tax.
some $7S0.000, has been set aside for
capitol use, This. with the 81 200, 600
capitol bonds, VIII 90 a long way to-
ward the completion Of the capitol. But
II is not true. as IS assumed by some
persons. that ali the Inheritance taxa
ton is TO he transferred to the capitol
fund as il is received. The Legislature
authorized such transfer Of the Harri-
man inheritance tax. bat not of any
other portion Of that taxation. As il
stands. therefore the capitol has less
than $2.0o0,0o0 FOR its completion. in.
Guiding the capitol bonds. SO far from
this being an eItravagant amount, il is
III fact less than Will be needed
for II is not to be expected that the
capitol, under the most favorable
auspices can be completed and fur
nishcd FOR much less than $4,000 goo
so far then. from there being any
surplus to spare from the capitol re
sources. these resources will have tc
bc added TO in order that the capito
may be 6tly completed aud furnished
We DO not mention this matter ot
The capitol as in any way opposing thu
good roads propaganda. On the con
,rsry. we arc emphatically for gooC
roads. Jus, as We are for the capitol
but :hc poiui II that wc see M ucet