The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1914-01-22
LUKE LEADS BITTER ASSAULT
Declare That State Aid In Highway
Making is Taxation Without Repre-
sentation and People Get But SOC of
Each Dollar Contributed to Fund.
From "Wednesday s Daily

(From Wednesdays Daily
Characterizing state aid for high
ways as taxation" without represen-
talon and graft by which the state
kept many high salaried men in office,
County Supervisor William Luke made
a bitter and sensational attack on the
Wisconsin system of highway building
before the Kenosha County Board this
morning and at the close of his ad-
dress, one of the most notable ever
made before the county board, he pre-
sented formal resolution demanding
that Kenosha county abolish the state
aid system in the building Of highways
just as soon as the money now raised
had been expended. The supervisor
went further and declared that he was
ready when the time comes to propose
form of county aid for highways.
The friends OF the much involved state
aid system on the board did not APP
pear very numerous, but few Of the
supervisors believing that the board
would be cropping in the dark and left
without any system for the continuance
of the highway work urged that the
matter of decision on the motion be
laid over until the next meeting of the
board to give the members further
time to seek legal advice as tc the pos
sibility of tho adjustment Of the sys-
tenn now in vogue, This idea prevailed
and final action on the matter Won't
over until after the state investigation.
Supervisor Luke did not, go off half
cooked = In his carefully prepared re-
marks he reviewed at length the work
ings of the state aid = system and he
said in part'
g have been over every bit of work
done in the county last year with
the exception of the work done in the
town of Bristol, and | have not found
single person who is satisfied. There
is not so much kick on the nature Of
the work as the cost. The people do
not believe that they are getting what
they are paying for The state high
way commission is we'll aware Of the
trouble with the work in this county
aud it is seeking to hide behind the
county highway commissioner. We
know and the state highway commits,
sion knows that we were not given the
work called for. Mr.. Mcclellan may
be at fault. I don t know about that,
but | want to say to you that the com
mission has not kept faith with you as
members of this board. 1t was the un-
Outstanding that after these roads were
built that they were to be accepted as
part of state system of highways.
Not single one of the roads built in
this county has been accepted by the
state commission.
"There is very little encouragement
given that the state will ever accept
these roads. If the state is forced to
increase its force to provide for the
inspection of every little piece of road
built in the various counties it will be
an easy matter for you to see that the
cost of road building is going to be in
creased. We can and should 60 to work
and build our own roads without the
aid Of the commission. Every town in
the county has men who can build bet
ter roads and build them CHEAPER than
the work has been done under this
state body Why should we continue
to support this elephant of state or
CARNATIONS. Under the system the
town officers have nothing to say, and
you city fellows are absolutely helpless
in the grip of the state commission.
Not a man in Kenosha county with the
possible exception of the county high
way commissioner, has anything to say
as to how the roads shall be built.
The system is rank failure. It is
taxation without representation and
we are not getting our money IS worth
Now the state is clearing itself and
putting the blame on Mcclellan L
want it TO be distinctly understood that
I am not putting my father1y hand
Oh Mcclellan or standing as his de-
fender The state commission has him
coralled, but I want to know if we are
going to be any better off if the COM
mission Gusts Mcclellan and we put
another man in his place. 1t matters
not how good man you get he is
bossed by some one else and he takes
no orders from the county board but
all from the commission. If Niece
han did not comply with the rules of
the state commission last June why
did not the commission remove Niece
han then9 We must put our foot down