The Topeka state journal., 1919-04-12
OTHER SIDE OF IT
v. G. BrysOn of Overlook in
Good Roads Argument.
/ He Complains of Epidemic of
Kansas Petitions.

1t always has been UNDERSTOOD that
there was only one side to the good
roads movement in Kansas-the side
that favors the immediate and un-
( limited extension of hard-surfaced
highways in all parts of the state.
= In the section of the state around
Overlook, however, there has been
a strong reactionary move, under the
leadership of V. c.. Bryson, wealthy
and successful farmer and business
man. Bryson has been conducting
fight against good roads wildcat
ting for several weeks and has been
E able to obtain no little following
? among the-farfners and land owners in
that part of Kansas.
Bryson has explained his theory in
a communication to the State Jour
-nal. Recognizing the duty to the
Z readers in presenting all sides OF pub
lie questions, the Bryson argument fol-
+ lows:
The Bryson Argument.
& Are the farmers of Kansas going to be
made victims of good roads miaslnaa 1t
begins to look that way There is an cpl
demic OF good roads petitions being cir
culated thruout Kansas The germ which
is in this particular case chapter 2li-
. Laws of 1917, is being inoculated into the
farmers by every means of propaganda
nnd personal solicitation. Most of 1t when
analysed is rank poison, leaving the VIC
tim with nothing but memory of having
signed bis name TO a cut-throat mortgage.
ReconstructioI good and bad Is being
urged upon the people. Much of IL row
being agitated over the state of Kansas Is
by an element who pay but little of the
taxes involved in the undertaking The
hard surface road under its present laY is
the most iniquitous. Its propaganda II
cape the cost of building these roads, aRd
many newspapers posing as sacred guide
+ posts of our general education seem to
wilfully and maliciously neglect TO tell
where the real burden will fall in hard
surfacing the roads of Kansas. The farm-
err. particularly those so unfortunate as
tO he n he 1en Of
correctly termed the stricken district" is
1.-The goat.
Now Comes a shyI0ck,
We are never told by the good road
booster that when we sign one OF these
I good road petitions that we have placed a
, mortgage on our land-a mortgage more
vicious than a cut-throat note Of a grasp
! ing Shylock- we are not advised that
once our name is signed the law does
Z not permit its removal until the pound of
flesh is taken and leaves the petitioner in
: after years the opportunity of walking over
the hill 10 the poor house on a hard sur
face road he gave his land to build. If you
{ fail to meet any one of the assessments
your laiid Is sold as in the case of any de-
linquent tax. They do not inform us that
( personal property is EXEMPT, thereby re-
manufacturer, wholesaler, auto dealer,- in
fact 20 per cent of the business organiza-
: ti0ns, from paying for the building and up
keep Of these hard surfaced roads.
Instead We are held to believe that the
, government will assume half the burden
of fact they won't unless the cost is within
$3O.OOO per mile and according to the gov
Go to dnte let far sas
mile. All OF them of any Importance have
been bid for at a sum Of $4,000 per mile
( lieve that the average cost Will be very
little per acre or to the quarter section.
Z The fact is that assuming $4,000 per mile
the benefit district will place a mortgage
on each quarter section of approximately
$23O0-a mortgage your wife doesn't sign.
% fnlA will ffrar nf
our land one-half. If this were true the
tax assessor wouldn't fail to note it or
3 his book and the subsequent increase in
tax would offset this materially But 1t
can't be fact for farm is only worth
what II Will produce. Anything above its
production is speculative and the speeula-
tion Is killed when the buyer discovers
a lien on each quarter section of 50, 500.
p Unless the owner assumes the obligation,
as in other mortgages. he don't sell. The
homeseeker goes outside the benefit dis
2 triet to buy. 1t is insinuated that event
nally the state will take over these roads.
There Is nothing certnrn about that. But
II they do 1t will not put the money back
event will in rome form come out of the
farmers money. He isn't going to relieve
a bad situation by taking the cost out of
3 one pocket and putting 1t into another.
Figures on n sO-MiIe ROpd.
These are only a few things We are told
and not told But let us reason little
further Assuming the road will cost
$4,000 to the mile. 1t will be thirty miles
s in length. The government, we suppose
pays One-half mp to $4,000 per mile The
cost will be 81, 100000 less $3.50 OOO the gov
Z ernments share or first cost to the county
= of $900,0O0. Now the interest at per cent
for twenty years plus the upkeep for
& twenty years will make a total cost to
the county of 81, 200. 900, A little more
figuring will show the benefit district and
the township will pay their pro rata namely
i $1.Sf4 per section also their pro rata Of
the countys share namely $46D per quar-
ter section, or total of $3.50 per quarter
section.
= Is II worth it? We can't see where it Is
A mortgage of $2,343 per quar1er section in
benefit district for hard surface road
binds the signor until 1t Is paid. There ID
no relief, no matter what the cost.
These few remarks can't do those that
are signed up any good. Men do foolish
things, knowing not why. But to the great
multitude of farmers that have not studied
this proposition thoroly 1 advise going
slow before entertaining any hard surface
road petition. Be leary of the germ-be
careful OF the booster-f0r he boosts and
you pay. He might come clothed us the
banker garbed minister, dressed as
the auto dealer, in the raiment of the mer.
: chant or adorned in sumptuous splendOI
of Big Business to appeal to you from
many angles. Unless you fully realize the
burden you are placing upon your land
for the benefit of those that don't pay
thy dream Of freedom from toll will change
Into eogitatioD as to how you shall remove
the mortgage from your land-a mortgage
your wife didn't sign. Think this over
carefully that You may never be deceived
V. c. BRYSON.