The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1919-04-02
SAYS TO VOTE
YES" ON GOOD
ROADS AMENDMENT
ONE OF COUNTY'S MOST SUB
STANT1AL FARMERS COMES
STRONG FOR GOOD ROADS.
Editor Banner-News.

Editor Danner-NSWS.
Dear Sir: have been asked why
| am enthusiastic over the matter
of good roads and why | am so anx'
ious to see Icnia county adopt the
county road system and vote "yes" on
the $50,000,000 bond issue.
want to quote from Act 80 OF the
Public Acts of 1917:
"Good Roads and How To Get Them"
Sec. 1. The legislature of the
state of Michigan hereby assents to
the provisions of the act of congress
approved July IL, 1916 (thirty mine
statute laws. three hundred fifty-five)
entitled an act to provide that the
United States shall aid the states In
the construction of rural post roads
and other purposes. And the good
faith of the state is hereby pledged
under the provisions of this act to
make available from time to time
sufficient funds to pay the states
portion of the cost of construction
and maintaining federal aid roads.
The state highway department of
Michigan, through the highway COM
missioners is hereby authorized to
make surveys, prepare plans and
specifications and take charge of the
building and maintaining of federal
aid roads in accordance with the pro-
visions of the aforesaid act of con-
gress and the rules and regulations OF
the secretary of agriculture made
Hereunder and such amendments
thereto as may from time to time be
made.
Sec. z. There is hereby appropriat.
ed for the state highway department
for the fiscal year ending June 30
1918, the sum of $225,000, and foI
the fiscal year ending June 80, 1919
the sum of $225,000 which sum sc
appropriated shall constitute a funC
for the payment of the states portion
: of the cost of federal aid roads"
I have quoted verbatim the statute
which relates to this subject.
Is there any good reason why we
of Michigan should no: avail cur
selves of the federal aid while it is
going? Some day when all the 9th
er states have their roads built, con.
gress will withdraw this aid, and those
states which have not taken advan
age of it will be left out in the cold
And is there any good reason why
we should not allow the next genera.
tion to help pay for these roads by is
suing bonds now and in that way di-
vide the cost with those who will be
getting the benefits of the roads 2(
years from now? These bonds will
only be sold as fast as the money j,
needed to meet the federal aid anC
the money will be expended unde1
one of the most conservative and eff
ficient branches of the state govern
ment, namely, the state highway de
partment, assisted by the federal gov
ernment.
And there is one more good reason
why the bonding plan will work mucl
better than to depend upon biennia
sessions of the legislature to appro
pirate money, namely, the roads to b,
built and the building Of them mus
of necessity be planned ahead fo
several years in order to work out
road system while, build them wher
most needed, and at minimum cost
That cannot be done unless we pro
vide in advance for having the neces
sary funds available as needed.
After studying this matter yer!
carefully and looking at it from ever.
angle / see no danger for the tax
payer in the bonding plan, but on tn
contrary many good reasons why w
should adopt 1t. So much for tn
bonding proposition.
What about the county system o
building roads? Let me simply draw
a parallel between Delta county an
Ionia county from the biennial repor
of the highway commissioner for tn
two fiscal years ending June 80, 1915
First, Delta county under the coun
ty road system, and second, Ioni
county under no system:
Delta county, equalization valua
tion, 15,500,000. Ionia county equ
alization valuation, $27,200,000.
Delta county, miles allowable. 10
2-4 miles, miles applied for 80 g.
miles; built. 80 miles. Ionia county
miles allowable AZ ga miles; mile
applied for 81 1-8; miles built IL 3-4
Delta county townships expendi
lures on other than state reward
roads, $38,064.26.
Ionia county townshipsg expendi
lures on other than state reward road
$58,372.60.
Delta county appropriation of mo
ney from county to meet state aic
$15,500.00.
Ionia county appropriation of mo
ney from county to NEE; state aic
327, 10000.
CONTINUED on page fou-)