The Mena weekly star., 1917-09-06
How Good Roads win Help.

How Good Roads Win Help.
 Permit a short article on the above subject, since good roads seem to me the all-absorbing topic
 I. They will prove our people are truly progressive, like in other live and up-to-date communities that want to enjoy the comforts of life and at the same time profit by 1 a great economy Men who live where graded rock roads exist, do not want to live without such con- veniences, and are it's strongest ad- vocates when they move away from them We have such men living ill Polk county now, and they all want such roads.
 l ?. While the initial cost will be high, this can be met by a gradual tax, that will not hurt anybody, running as it will for twenty or ! thirty year. This cost may be 30fd of the assessed valuation, it IS true, but as the assessed valuation is very low, in reality 1t would not amount 1 to much over l0fe, and since this sum would be divided up into twen- ity annual payments, anybody can see it would amount to but very little, and not hurt single taxpay- CT. Say the north and south high way cost S250,000, would not most of this great sum go into the pockets of our people, to laborers first, then into the marts of trade? Think what prosperity that would make here. An old adage says "a man cannot have his cake and eat it, but this money for the highway would be scattered among the people here. and partly disprove the old adage.
 3. Farmers will be the greatest beneficiaries of the highway, as they will use it most, and save so much time and be enabled to carry more than double the loads usually car ried on bad roads. have heard sev- eral farmers who lived on such highways in other states say that the farmers are saved enough in blacksmith repair bills because of the highway, to more than offset their extra taxes. A wagon will last more than twice as long on such highway than upon bad roads. One man said his wagon had to be re- tired nearly every year, if l remem- Der correctly, on bad roads, and wore out in a few years, when upon good roads they lasted several years. If this is true how can any sane farmer be against good roads?
 f. Good roads will bring the peo- pie closer together, and enable all to enjoy going to and from town, to and from church or school. when now 1t is almost a nightmare, part of the year. to travel our roads.
 ;. The talk about town people being for it. and their selfishness and motives, is certainly uncalled
 for Let people quit pickering, Town people use the roads very lit tie, as a rule, and all know this to be true. If the proposed highway is built, it. will cost the writer and many other people in Mena neat
 little sum each year, yet most of those who will have this to pay will probably use the road but a few times each year. Yet we are highly ! in favor of the highway for the gen.
 eral good, and will gladly pay the
 tax if road is built.
 G. Now as to the pro-rata cost of such highway If the railroad pays 1 from 35@6 to considerably more in Icounties south of us, is it not reas- enable to say it will likewise pay a good part here? Will our assessors
 let the railroad of for tritling bart, as some would have us be- lieve2 I think not--nor will any other reasonable man As the as l lsessments made in Sevier and Lit tie River counties are legal. will not q similar assessment stand here? 1t Twill. We know Poik county will get thousands of dollars in money from the State and National governments I-this will be a great help It is es- timated the city of Mena and towns along the railroad will bear a good lpart of the taxes toward such high- way. Parties who have studied the matter estimate that farmers will lnot have to pay such a high tax lprobably ranging from 6c down to Sc per acre per year. as their pro lrata part of the highway, and this Ieertainly would not be very burden some.
 1 :. The law lays down several methods of legally providing for building such a highway and since some farmers about Hatfield are kicking so about the small town lot giving owners as much voice as the Iowner of a big farm, I am very will ling for either legal method to he used Let us say a majority in acre. age, or majority in valuation. Either way is legal, and supposed to be fair But it was proposed to get a majority of the property owners. las the fairest way, but either of the lother ways can be used
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