Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1916-05-11
FROM GUTH-
R|EAN ON SURFAC|NG

The Guthrian editor has been
asked, What is the present law
as to hard surfacing roads,
A lot OF county bonds have been
issued and are being issued in dill
ferent parts ofthe state of Iowa for
the purpose of grading AID gravel
ing ROADS. According to Mr.. Dodd,
who was one OF the lecturers on
the government good roads train at
Pai.ora, the boards OF supervisors OF
Emmett, Clay, Dickinson, Hardin,
Calhoun. Buena Vista, Sac, and we
believe, Marshall counties have de-
cided to perma ently grade and
gravel their entire county road
system, paying for the same, SO
far as possible, from available
funds, and issuing bonds for the
balance. Under what law are these
boards proceeding? Is a vote Of
the people necessary or is the pow
Ell to bond lodged simply and sole
ly i'm the board of supervisors?
Under provisions of Section 4O3
Code OF Iowa, boards of supervisors
may issue bonds to pay outsta ding
indebtedness of the county whenever
these debts exceed five thousand
dollars, and that section OF the law
opens wide the way to road bond
ing. The boards may simply grade
and gravel the roads as most people
build house. They may let the
bills for the work run ON and accu-
mulate Until the work is finished
and as soon as these bills exceed
five thousand dollars the board
takes them up by issuing county
road bonds, just as many man set
ties his account by note at the
lumber yard after his house has
been built. No vote of the peonle
Is required TO authorize the board
TO hard surface the roads or to is
sue the bonds. AS the law now
stands, the entire power and autbo,-
ity with reference to this matter
is directly lodged with the hoard
OF supervisors, and rot with the
7 @Apayefs. There is absolutely no
doubt about this being the law.
An effort is being made to con-
VlLce the farmers that there js am
organized movement on in the state
TO increase their taxes against their
consent, and the facts are that
none OF the road boosters who are
being abused are suggesting a,N
increase of taxes or any forward
steps in this road matter until the
FARMERS themselves vote for the
The talk about this whole
subject has been misleading and to
a considerable extent is the work of
demagogues and opportunists.
There has been great unrest orr
the road question in Iowa, and
Governor Clark some time ago an
pointed nonpartisanl committee
to Investigate existing laws and re-
port conclusions to the next legis-
lature. Upon this committee are two
extensive farmers and stock raisers
who are engaged in no other sort
OF business. There is one LAWYER.
one grain and lumber dealer, one
banker, one editor of a daily news
paper and one editor of an aglricul-
tural paper. They are all men of
substance. Hon. e. I. Meredith,
whom the democrats have selected
as their standard bearer for COVER
nor, is one member. Senator Foster
OF this place, is another member
lis not this committee entitled to a
fair hearing, aid what does it
stand for?
In an address delivered at Perry
last january Senator Foster, who
Is a member of that committee and
speaking in its behalf, said:
1T is the belief of the committee
that what is needed in Iowa is not
more money, but better system
of spending the money we already
have and the committee at it's very