Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-12-13
COUNTY AGENT OF DUBUQUE
CLAIMS EFFORT IS MADE TO
GRAB FEDERAL FUNDS.
TWO PROBLEMS INVOLVED
IN HIGHWAY eeTTERMENTs
Not Only Great National Highways
But BY Ways From Farms to Mar.
kct Must Be mproved-Present
Funds Sufficient TO Gravel All
Roads Eventually-Speaks for Far.
mers.
Decial to Times Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
the farmer/and resident of small
community will take on the hard
roads, issue which now is one of para
mount interest In the state just now,
Is indicated in statement issued by
\. c. Malin. county agent here. Mr..
Malin, in giving out the statement de-
clared that he attempted to voice the
sentiment of the people he represents.
His communication follows:
The time has come when the Iowa
farmers must exert a united effort for
the right kind OF road improvement,
or, by missing his opportunity have
Dad program saddled on the. state for
which the farmer will pay his full share
hut receive the minimum of benefit.
discussion of road improvement calls
for clear thinking.
1T is well to keep in mind that there
are two problems involved. not simply
one. We have not only the great ma
tional highways. the roads for inter-
state travel, and the military highways,
people. have the roads from the farm
to the market as a serious problem
and it is a mistake to think of road i'm
provement as meaning only of the
great thoroushfares.
important as it is that we should
have good permanent automobile trails,
both north and south. and east and
west. thru the state, that is not our
greatest need and we should not thlnk
exclusively in terms of paved inter-
state highways. We must improve our
community roads, the roads from the
farms to the markets. And in oroer
to do this we must organize in a de-
mand for the use of the available funds
for that purpose.
THE forces favoring the improve
ment of our through roads already
have their eyes on the funds, which are
now available for local use. We have
in Iowa an automobile tax fund OF
$4,000 900, which at present is dlstrl-
buted TO the counties of the state at
the rate of $1,000 per township. rms
money should be distributed to each
township. and used on the local ROADS
in addition to the regular funds TO
build up the local roads.
Funds Sufficient For Gravel.
"Eeighteen thousand dollars in TINS
county applied on paving is but drop
inrthe bucket. but $1,000 in each town
ship, every year for several years
wotidS eventually give us a system OF
sraveled roads equalled by none of the
state.
..Tbe trends of the through highway
have their eyes on this fund. Illinois
already has voted away their similar
fund for the next twenty years. Under
our present laws. Iowa can not do that
but there is movement on foot to
change the law so that it can be done.
If we are to secure the use of this
fund we must get busy in united &C.
ton.
II 10 hot feel that We should oppose
the Improvement Of our through high
ways, but this should not be done with
local funds. but through the use or
federal and state appropriations.
81 am speaking for great many
farmers Of this county who have been
consulted, when I say that the greatest
road need from both the farmers and
country towns standpoint is an i'm
proved road from the farm to the mar
ket."
Mr.. Malin urged the farmers of the
state to get back of the movement to
apply local funds to local roads.