The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1919-01-02
WHERE is THE MONEY?

WHERE is THE MONEY?
Sioux City Journal-The problem
Of good roads construction should be
approached and considered from a
common sense business point rather
than from a political one. 1t is a
problem o important to the present
needs and future development of Iowa
to become the football Of any faction
or party. II is a domestic improve.
ment in which every nan who has
money invested in either farm or bust
ness enterprise. the man who rents
the land from which the crops must
be marketed and the man who spends
his weeks wages in the purchase of
the products OF the farm upon which
TO live. is directly interested. To
those who produce, hard surfaced
roads mean the marketing of the crops
at less expense. To those who pur-
chase such crops, either directly or in
directly, the roads mean. in time, low
er prices because of the elimination
of needless expenses in ~transporta-
ton.
Hard surfaced roads are wanted by
all. Like other domestic improve
ments the cost az the beginning seems
p%rohibitive. This is where common
sense business judgment should be ap-
piled. The state as a whole expends
under the present road construction
system vast sums Of money every
year. II has been doing hat for many
years. Yet the dirt surface roads are
no more traversable at this time in
the winter than they were last year.
Where is the money spent on road re-
pairing and construction last year?
This comparison may be enlarged.
The roads are no better in midwinter
now than they were five or even ten
years ago. Where Is the money ex-
pended on their repair during these
years? OF curse IL this money were
not expended annually the dirt roads
would in a few years be unusable.
The point is hat there Is no advance
ment in the permanency of the high
ways, each expenditure in the end
leaving the condition as il was before
the repairs were made.
The advantages between hard sur
faced roads and dirt roads is too ap-
parent to require calculation. The
cost OF upkeep of hard surfaced roads
is inconsequential compared with that
of dirt roads. Therefore after the
hard roads are constructed the ex-
pense Of upkeep is reduced almost to
elimination. The money which o
goes into the upkeep of dirt roeds and
which is wasted so far as permanency
of results is concerned, could be ap-
piled to the first cost of the construc-
ton of hard surfaced roads and in
time they would be paid for, and the
expense of highway maintenance
would be paid for, and the expense
of highway maintenance would become
negligible. Bonding for construction
provides the hard surfaced roads for
immediate use and the taxes which
now go into Gudholes would be utiliz-
ed to pay these bonds.
There is always certain antagonism
between the cities and the country
" public roads of the best sort. The
farmer often believes the people of
the city want good roads for pleasure
driving. The use, and sometimes the
abuse, of the roads for this purpose
lends color to the contention, On the
other hand. the business man in the
city sometimes develops an
able Sttitude in the matter, and asks
why he should be taxed TO build hard
roads over which farmers may mar
ket their crops at less expense. He
argues that he is taxed for municipal
improvements and that Is as far as
his obligations extend. Beyond that
he feels the taxes for good roads Ia
an injustice to him.
The trouble. with both contentious
lies in the fact that there has not been
any system worked out by which the
taxpayers of the cities may be re-
to contribute In proportion 10
their advantages The fixed automo-
bile tax probably comes nearer TO the
solution than any other system. Yet
has its objections. There IL an
to cities from good roads
into them which Is material
In results but intangible In determin-
ation- Thousands Of dollars In trade
N EMf Al