The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1914-01-30

ale an asset and have Il great physical
Yalue. If we would but look upon on
, roads in the same manner the railroa
cofpanies look upon their right DIVA
and handle and maintain them in tn
same manner as the railroad com
panies, we believe that the time woul
not be far distant when we would hav
a great deal better roads than we hay,
today. If we would lay out and con
struct our roads on the same theor
as the railroad companies; that is, tina
the roads are for traffic and for TIL
purpose of earning dividends, w
would be more careful with our roa;
fund, invest more intelligently and t,
greater advantage. Be believe that W,
are not receiving full value for thu
money that is being spent upon GU
roads, not because of dishonesty of tn,
commissioners or our road over-Seers
but owing to the lack of Technical
knowledge on the part of those we EN-
ploy to build and maintain said roads
Road building is a science and require:
technical knowledge. 1t is the belle
of the committee that a great savins
could be made by this county and bet
ter roads obtained if they would EN-
| ploy a man to take charge of all roat
construction for the purpose of build
ing up road system throughout the
county which would consist of several
main arteries and branches necessary
to provide service for all the people
of the county We believe there is
nothing in the statute that would pre-
vent our county commissioners from
employing such a man. Five per cent
of the money annually expended in the
county for road purposes would amply
compensate highway engineer.
We have asked the engineering de-
partment to take up tn study of the
question of roads and to tell us Sc
far as it is possible what our roads
are costing us; and we have also put
it up to them in this way: 1--WE are
spending so much on our roads today
Can you give us better roads than we
now have and how much can you save
us?" At some future date we hope
that the engineering department will
be able to submit a report of interest
and suggest some general plan which
would be desirable for the counties to
adopt
We have considered the matter OF
schools and the possibility of reducing
the cost thereof. We have already adj
vised you of the action we have taken
in this matter of having a more thoro
investigation and report by the de-
partment of education. There is a pos
of reducing the cost of our
schools provided that we can obtain
good and passable roads so that it
will be possible to reduce the number
of school districts. The cost per capt
ia of educating the children in some
of our rural districts.is very excessive.
Some of the schools which have but
q half dozen students could be largely
done away with, provided we have
good roads. Il is impossible to deprive
The children of an education. But the
cost of this education where the num-
Der of students is small is very great |
A number of districts have been con-
;olidated during the past year but |
)ther small schools spring up wher-
aver there is tendency to the settle |
nent of a new section of the county |
We will leave future recommendation in
he matter of schools until such time
Is Professor Soulen makes his report
N the survey of the matter.
Owing to the high taxes there APP
,ears to have been great deal of cri-
icism of our new revenue law and the
working out of the same. 1t has al
eady been discussed several times in
he chamber and mention made of the
eed of amendments to this law. 1t
hould be remembered that the new
NV went into effect last May and has
cen in operation only eight months.
We have not as yet seen the complete
peration of all of its provisions. We
ave not seen enough of the working {