The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1916-03-15
THE QUESTION OF HARD ROADS

The question OF hard roads is be.
coming more important every day. 1t
has reached stage where it now de-
serves serious consideration in oil it's
phases. Too much of the discussion
has been cheap political claptrap up.
on this question which is not political
in any sense. The greatest phase of
this question is its relation to the
whole transportation question and this
has received little or no consideration.
In a series of articles we mean to pre-.
sent this question and we ask the
farmers and shippers to consider the
facts.
In the first place the taxes We are
now paying for public highways are
enormous. Much of this is direct, but
more of it is indirect. Our people are
Just now awakening to the fact that
railroads are a part OF their public
highways. They have been taught by
the special interests to look upon the
railways as private enterprises. In
fact they are public roads for public
service just like any other public road.
At present they are the only hard
roads we have in the state Of Iowa.
They are supported by a tax only it
is levied in different way. The
charges for passenger and freight
service are the tax. The amount OF
these taxes directly affect the prosper
ity of every man who produces or con-
sumes. Ii the rates are higher prices
are lower to the producer or higher TO
the consumer or the difference is dl.
vided between them.
The indirect taxes paid by the people
of Iowa to the railroads during this
wear will amount to $90,00O,000. The
direct taxes paid for public roads will
amount to ST ,000,00 The aggregate
is SOL 100000 which the people OF
Iowa are now spending for public
highways. We believe this expense is
too high for what we are getting. we
believe q vast amount OF it is taken ny
private parties in excessive earnings.
We believe if this vast sum were prop.
erly expended it would speedily build
all the roads hard or otherwise that
the state of Iowa will ever need. We
believe the railroad rates are a spe'
cies of taxation without representa-.
ton. We believe they are managed
under private ownership for private
gain and not for public service. We
believe one.third OF all the cost OF the
railroads is excessive and would be
saved if the people owned and operat.
ed all their public highways instead OF
a part OF them. II such saving could
be made it would amount to $3O,OOO'Ooo
a. year to the state OF Iowa. II that
money could be saved and used IN
building hard roads instead OF paving
Wall street with gold, the road ques'
ton would be settled. We want to say
to the farmers and shippers OF Iowa
that you are now paying $3O,OOOOOo
wear more for public highways than
YOU ought to pay. Washington county
lis paying 5000. 900 more than it ought
to pay counting it as an average OF
the state. Not only this, but the rail-
roads have candidate for the legis'
lature in every county OF the state
and want to raise the rates and make
YOU nay more. In addition to this they
want you to build hard roads and pay
! all the cost although they would large
" benefit the railroads. They are no.
I paving anything like their share OF tHe
Taxes. They are paying more in every
state around us, including Kansas and
NEBRASKA. The reason is because you
are letting the railroad attorneys Sc
llect your candidates for the legisla
ture. Washington County Press.