The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1916-03-19
LOCAL OPTION IN
BUILDING ROADS
No Scheme to Force Anything on
Anybody, According to, State
ment from Greater Iowa
Association.
NO POLITICS EITHER
Financing Propositions Have Been
Considered by Governors Bet
ter Roads Commission and
Recommend
Bonds.
NO POLITICS E1THEE

ter OF road improvement. There is no
scheme for wholesale paving of coun-
try roads-there is no thought to
force upon any man or group of men
any more road improvement than they
themselves want. But we do know
That through careful expenditure of
twelve million dollars a year, (our
present road and bridge fund.- we can
get more good roads than we are now
getting. We know that other states
spending less money than we do,
have far superior roads, and this is an
Indictment Of both our integrity and
our efficiency.
The Greater Iowa association is 60
ing to keep after this road problem
until 1t is settled to the satisfaction
or the people Of the state. It's organi.
cation is complete. 1t has a member
ship In nearly every county, including
leading farmers, stock breeders, mer-
chants, manufacturers, professional
men, and, in fact, every sort of bust
ness man who loves his state and be-
lieves that through conscientious and
well directed effort, its people can be
made more prosperous and life in
Iowa made more delightful.
.s... No Politics.
politics and no creed, except Iowa It's
officers and executive committee are
about equally divided amongst the &C.
tive political parties. The theory of
the organization is that the people Of
Iowa are as progressive and aggres-
slve as any people in the world, and
that II they have seemed to lag along
some of the avenues of progress and
development, it IS because the real
situation has not been presented to
them-the facts have been garbled,
motives have been challenged, and, in
fact, everything done to sacrifice the
real interests Of Iowa to political
greed and avarice.
The new slogan for Iowa Is LESS
craftsmanship and more citizenship
Road Bonds.
Governor Clarke's better roads COM
mission has considered carefully the
methods Of financing improved roads
throughout the United States and has
decided to recommend the issuance of
country bonds whenever the township
special district or county revenues
are to be anticipated for period of
years so as to build road that will
not wash away at every rain.
The commission found that thirteen
states were borrowing money for road
on state credit but that
Al per cent of all the counties in all
the states were borrowing on county
credit and that seemed the most
economical plan that could be adopted
in Iowa without the delay Of a general
state election. If it should be ap-
proved by the legislature. township
board could anticipate it's township
fn fnr va for
purpose Of graveling and grading a |
township road by requesting its coun-
ty board to sell county bonds and re- !,
ceive a pledge Of township moneys to |
repay the bonds, or a county board by |
a referendum vote Of the people of |
any special district could borrow !,
money for period of years In antici-
patton Of road revenues to be raised !
within the district for any kind Of q !
road which the voters should deter
mine. In short, by paying upon the .
nstallment plan instead of building
hat way, the people Of any locality
could get their permanent roads soon
er and enjoy them longer.
Get Cheap Money.
In all probability counties will be
able to borrow money at Az per cent
interest. The bonds very largely will
ind their market in the east. New
money will be brought to Iowa imme-
liately and will be invested in Iowa
lpon it's highways. The taxpayer
Will simply keep on paying the same
AK that he pays now, but he will have
he improved road. It is estimated
hat the present rate of taXation for
county roads, if bonded. would be suf-,
icient to gravel two-thirds Of the en-
ire county road system. while the
money, If bonded. would
pave one-third Of the county
'oad system in the vicinity Of large
owns where traffic becomes con-
yested to such an extent as to ravei
, graveled road.