The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1919-01-30
ANOTHER VIEW OF THE
GOOD ROADS QUESTION

Editor Leader-Roads, school, taxes
and bond issues, in recent years, have
seemed to be but playthings for the
pens of theorists and enthusiasts, to
Tickle tie ears of shallow thinkers,
land have, to some extent, created a
false sentimentalism in the minds
of mighty good people, in reference
to these all-important subjects, which
so vitality concern generations now
living as we'll as children vet unborn.
Yea, verify, not only their temporal
and material welfare, but will leave
an imprint upon the hearts and minds,
interviewer into the warp and wool
of their lives and characters, and into
the fibre of their spiritual and moral
natures. The greatest heritage par
lents can leave their children is the
knowledge and example of integrity,
probity, conservatism, truth, justice,
conservative economy, coupled with
such level headed business sense that
lit will make them keep their eXpendi-
lures within the limits and bounds of
their income.
"Stop, look and listen!" What has
been the siren song of the theorists
and demagogic enthusiasts which has
been the theme, and is now the hat
lie cry" of short-s1ghted schemers
VINO presume upon the ignorance
and forbearance of long suffering
and tax-ridden people Under the
s|S,em of roads, schools and taxes
which have existed and prevailed in
Upton county since the present laws
were passed and put UPON our statute
books, the people need net be told
that we have had bond issues galore,
interest-bearing warrants and bridge
taxes doubled, when unnecessary and
illegal, to bolster up certain funds,
and the highest tax rate of any cOun-
ty in Tennessee, and road and high |
way taxes increased nearly 40 per
cent, and scarcely any results of any
permanent benefit. Now, with these
indisputable facts, it would seem to
any fair-minded man that any plan
for our roads and schools would do |
better than those which have already |
proven to be so expensive, and con- |
tinue to be lacking in very beneficial |
results, except in a few localities.
The road question, when considered
and viewed from a plain, practical
presents some simple
thoughts, that every farmer can read
lily see and undel stand, and these
questions when carefully answered,
solve the problem in every county
with a clay sub-soil, and which is
destitute of rocks and gravel in suf-
ficient quantities to build turnpikes,
and only rural population, and no
big city or corporate taxes, to help
70 bear the burden.
In Upton county we have nothing
70 make roads out Of but dirt-wet
lirt and dry dirt. We can make
lard surface with wet dirt at prop
sr season, but we cannot make
lard surface with dry dirt at any
season. Conceding these propositions,
he question arises: When is the pro-
Der time to get wet dirt? Why,
when the Ground is as wet as can be,
liter freezing is over in March. Yes,
I'll the roads in the country should
,e worked as near at one and the
anne time as possible, and when the
sround is as wet as possible, after
1eezes are ove". in March And ~
UGH system a man could get in a
ar or vehicle and travel over every
district in the county, and there
would be a uniformity in his travel
nd comfort. While under the one
Commissioner or two commissioner