The record., 1913-05-22
TAXPAYERS URGE GOOD ROADS
Representatives Of Both Town and
Country Vote in Favor Of Tax
to Create State Fund.

There never has been in the past
80 much discomfort over the discom-
fort OF travelling over mud roads as
there is NJ the present time While It
/, vcll known that the making Of hard
reads in communities whore there Is
70 hard material must Involve an
cnor@lCaa expense. yet more and moro
taxpayers IRE expressing a willing
ness 10 be taxed for permanent roads.
This Was plainly Indicated al road
conference held IN Des Mo.nes. Ia,
where zee delegates composed Of
typical representative Of beth town
and country voted unanimously 10
favor OF one-mill tax 10 create a
state aid fund. saws the Iowa Home
steader. In the past the best that
Iowa has been able 10 do along this
line has been 10 support non-salaried
highway commission with but little
power and with practically TO money
TO work with.
This same conference endorsed al
most unanimously the establishment
of a permanent highway commission
with ample power In addition a rec
concentration WAS made 10 the leGiSla-
tuTe 10 submit The question II bend
irg TIE state FOR gccd roads purposes
TO tie people 1t the next general oiee-
tiSn.
We appreciate the :ac; that this
program is not endorsed by al the
people and it is just possible THAI az
the present tine j; may not meet with
the endorsement OF even majority.
but the rapidly changing feeliag indi-
Gates that the the VIII soon come
when al states OF The corn belt VIII
undertake the construction OF per.
manent roads. This being the case tie
question of administration in the i'm
pcrtaEt one 10 beside. in this matter
there are established prcceGents
which may be safely followed ana
these precedeRts in every case tend
in a greater or less degree 10 centrali-
zation- In other words. wherever good
roads have been economically built in
this country they have been built
under the general supervision Of the
state under n plan Of CO ordination
with the county ana with the town
ship. No plan viii every work cut
practically liz the corn belt that does
not In a large way leave with tho 10
cality the authority 10 say Nhon they
are willing to bear the expense Of
good roads. When it is decided to IN
cur the expense Of building per
manent roads the township. county and
state will as units end themselves
compelled through the operation Of
sound business principle to adopt
plans and specifications prepared b.
the best available talent, whether this 1
be furnished By the aatlcn CT by tho
state.
The most urgent need At the pres
eut time in all states OF the corn belt
is the classification OF highways Ia or I
der that the question for al time may
be settled as to what constitutes main 4
roads and which are the secondary 4
highways. This recommendation was
shade TO the legislature at the Iowa 4
road coaferfGcc referred 20. When \
this plan Is oGce carried out we will 1
then knew definitely the order in I
which our roads should be permanent. /
5y improved. IL is . Nsi!-known fact /
that 80 per cent. OF the rural trailce is .
carried on over 10 per cent OF the 1
highways aad certainly the first move T..
should be 10 iuproye this ten per cent. 1
n the me2Rtime so are strcngly in
favor OF keeping the secondary reads .
in the best possible condlhen by the 1
construction of suitable cviyerts
wherever they ere needed and by the
sensible end compulsory use CT the
drag. There wiil always be large and
important township aEd county duties
so that no man need haze fear that
she adoption Of permenent road ad-
ministraticn viii in any way Interfere
with tie pr:aciplc Of local govern
aent
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