Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1919-04-04
Is the Partner
ship Fair One?
A Final AppealTo Pull Michigan
Out of the Mud.

am going to make this last appeal to
the voters of Michigan. Everything
will depend upon the efforts of those
who have vision and who believe in a
bigger Michigan. A great majority Of
the meetings have thus far addressed,
satisfies me that our people as whole
do not yet understand the real issue.
The time is here when the Federal
Government believes that the public
highways of the nation must be built to
that standard that will make it possible
for the new invention of American
genius (the gas carr to perform its
functions and carry from the farms, to
the marts of trade both the products of
the soil and the factory. Realizing this
great end, the Government is anxious
and ready to enter into a partnership
with the more progressive states and
We in Michigan, are confronted with
the question, "Is such partnership
worth while?" We are now invited to
come in on an equal basis, and into a
full and complete partnership. The
Government will pay not only one-half
of the cost of our main market roads,
but also will furnish to us its expert
engineers and road builders as well as
a portion of its equipment for road
building and will thus aid and assist
our own state highway department in
completing the most perfect system of
main highways that it is possible to
construct. We must rely upon both
the intelligence and the patriotism of
our people in this great undertaking.
The Federal Government can be inter-
ested only in our main market roads
and such roads as may be used for
National defenseNnd especially, for the
carrying of the mail and parcel post, in
other words the roads to be improved
must be post roads or The Major Part
Thereof. By the construction of five
thousand miles Of such roads, the var
ious townships and counties will be
enabled to give more time and atten-
| ton to the lateral roads and the time
| will soon come when we shall have a
perfect net work of well built roads
throughout the entire state, bringing to
the door OF every producer, whether Of
the farm or the factory, depot to
which shall be brought and from which
shall 60, the commerce of the state and
the nation. These roads will soon be-
come the arteries through which shall
flow the very life blood Of our nation.
| take it to be the duty of every man
and woman in Michigan to call the at
tention of every voter to the fact that
Uncle Sam is paying one-half of the
bill. That the cities and villages OF
Michigan will pay sixty-five per cent of
the cost and that Wayne county itself
is paying one-third of the taxes of
Michigan. The farmers per cent will
be so small that it is hardly worth
while to compute, as there can possibly
be no burden or hardship to be placed
upon them. The following is the
assessed valuation of Michigan as given
to me by the tax commission for the
year l919:- 81
Total State Valuation 80 81, /, ,21S, 7S1 ,67S
Cities Valuation -. -. 2,407, l01 484
Villages Valuation 80. :. 272, 1893, ,0S9
Farm Property. -. .-... 1888, 787, 104
Governor Sleeper in a QUESTIONABLE
sent out by him asks and answers some
very important questions for the far
mers. The legislature have by resolu-
ton provided that only five million
bonds shall be issued in any one year.
This will give ten million for two years
from the state and ten million from the
Federal Government. With twenty
million as fund to work with, we are
credibly advised that no more money
could be possibly spent in period OF
two years. Every man who wants
labor in Michigan will find it and plenty
of it. 2 We will thus serve, not only to
employ labor, but at the same time be
building up the great thoroughfares OF
Michigan, enabling us to hold up our
heads along with our sister states.
Governor Sleeper has given the
figures to the voters somewhat high.
The legislature having the entire sub.
ject in hand, will doubtless create a
sinking fund, and at least portion OF
: the income from the automobile license
fund will be placed In the sinking fund
and these bonds retired without any
tax upon the real or personal property
. of our state. have given to you the
assessed valuation of the state, of the
cities and villages, and of farm proper
ty. This will enable you to make your
own deductions. When the farmer
understands that of the small amoun
that he will be called upon to contribut,