Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-06-01
Wa1]aces' Farmer on Road Issue

state house at Des Moines. Mr.. Cosson
has not been in the legislature for
number of years. but as attorney gen
eral he has been q fearless advocate
Of law enforcement, and has stood con-
sistently for right things.
The attitude of Wallaces' Farmer on
the hard roads question ought to be
fairly we'll known to the farmers Of the
state. This paper has been the fore
most advocate of good dirt roads. 1t
was thru our efforts that the split-log
drag was introduced into Iowa. We
have never favored any scheme for the
wholesale building Of hard-surfaced
roads We have always insisted that
for a good many years to come, Iowa
must depend upon dirt roads, and that
our money should be spent in grading
them, draining them, dragging them.
and making them passable; that we
should do this in a systematic way;
that we should put in permanent cul-
verts and bridges as fast as the old
ones wear out; that we should intro
duce systematic business methods into
road work just as rapidly as possible.
We have never looked with favor upon
any scheme to bond the state for the
purpose of building hard surfaced
roads.
Many people of the state do not seem
to be aware Of the fact that bonds are
now being issued by many counties on
the authority of the supervisors alone.
While under our present laws the coun-
ty is not permitted to issue bonds In
advance, and use the bonds for the
purpose of road building. the county
| supervisors can. under our present
laws, incur an Indebtedness for bridge
and road work, and when this indebted
ness exceeds the sum of $1,000, on the
first day of January, April, June or
September in any year. the supervis-
orS by a two thirds vote, may issue
bonds for the purpose Of bearing the
Indebtedness. At the present time, we
are informed that nearly half the coun-
ties in the state have incurred bonded
Indebtedness in this way for bridge or
road work or both, the total amount OF
outstanding bonds now being about
So 900 900. 1t is not necessary for the
supervisors to submit the question OF
issuing bonds to a vote Of the people.
All Al1ey need to do is to go ahead and
run in debt to an amount to exceed
IS 900. and then, If two-thirds of them
wish, they can issue bonds to pay off
the Indebtedness.
4 number of counties in the state are
improving their entire county road sys-
tenn by this scheme. Among these, we
might mention Dickinson. Clay, Buena
VISTA Sac, Hardin, Cerro Gordo; and
perhaps there may be others of which
We do not know. In these counties,
mass meetings Of citizens were held,
and at these meetings 1t was voted to
instruct the supervisors to go ahead
and improve the county road system.
and afterwards issue bonds to pay for
the improvement Such instruction by
the citizens is not required, however.
The county supervisors may do this on
their own motion.
1t has been suggested that the legis-
lature should change the law governing
this matter, and should authorize the
various counties to incur bonded in
debtedness for road improvements,
provided the majority of the citizens
of the county should vote in favor Of
it. 1t seems to Wallaces' Farmer that
il would DE very much better to do this
than to leave the laws as they are at
the present time. The right to issue
bonds should remain in the hands of
the people. County supervisors are not
likely to take advantage Of the present
condition and run heavily into debt,
unless they feel confident that the
people Of their county approve, but sim
ply as q matter of safety, it would be
: better to take this power out Of their