The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1917-01-19

he roads or the county III lhe ooos
.esponse to this tendency that at THIS
lime it would be wise to attempt. IL
should be remarked, however, that no
system can meet the expectations, the
very reasonable expectations of its au-
.hors, unless those who are selected
o execute it are honest, capable ana
act with fidelity to the interest that
hey serve.
While there is some merit in the
ldea that there should be a, general
AK upon all vehicles, 1t is not advls'
able at this time to attempt the en-
.orcement of such statute. There
would almost inevitably follow re-
action that would do more harm to the
cause of good roads than any possible
good that could be derived from the
IMPOSITION of the proposed tax.
1t is altogether proper that wagons
and teams should be required to do
extra duty on the roads. There are
progressive citizens in nearly every
community of Maury county who will
lingly and gladly put their teams on
the road for week or ten days every
wear. There are a majority OF the
property owners in these same com
munities who will not put their teams
on the road for a single day longer
than the law requires. If public pride,
sense of civic duty and desire for
community improvement are not sum
GENTLY persuasive to bring all TO
| realization of their obligation, then as
suredly the law should intervene.
II all citizens were patriotic, pro
gressive, public spirited, had proper
sense of pride in their communities
and realized the vast benefits thai
come from good roads we should hard
" need a road law at all or any roac
taxes. One of these days we nope
lust such conditions in Maury county
The secret of good neighborhood ant
community roads is, after all, VIII
llingness upon the part OF the people
of the community to contribute freel.
toward that wholly laudable emo
But for the present there are many
4 all too many, who must be forced o.
the laws of organized society to q
their duty to the state and communit
and the so-called wagon tax will al
in doing this and should result in
great Improvement Of the highways G
the county within few years.
The automobile is maker OF roa
problems. Since the advent OF tn
powerful, swift moving car, the e.
penses of maintenance of highway
have increased enormously. 1t is a
together proper that the automopll
!, owner should contribute literally
the road taxes. For without a goo
Iroad the car in winter time is almos
y
, worthless to the owner.
There is one reactionary feature
the law that The Herald cannot a.
prove. For several years the tender
CIV in this county has been again'
the old-fashioned system of free
public labor on the roads. The la
:, has encouraged the communication
labor into money One dollar OF ia
;, money wisely expended with propt
, equipment for road-making is wort
two dollars from the average roa
hand working out his time" with pic
and shovel. The proposed new la
discourages communication. There al
some arguments, and Judge Mcknig]
ably presented some of them, for Il
:, reaction to the old plan but they al
not convincing.
One of the healthy signs of the tin
;, is the increased interest manifesto
in road law, road working and ROT
- maintenance upon the part OF the CT
: zens of the county. Out of this sen
ment there must come some who
some resolution to be more liberal
contributing to the great cause OF b.
n ter highways.