The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1921-07-01

privilege to the few. Some of the
great railroad systems in the Eastern
states that are paralelled by highways
are in deplorable condition. Accord
ing to some of the leading papers pub
lished there they are trying to work
out plans whereby they will cease to
handle local freight. They claim that
by doing so they can eliminate great
rany trains and train crews, thus cut
ting their operating expenses. Wher-
ever it is possible it seems that cor
porations are formed and regular
line of trucks and passenger cars are
being operated, and these corpora
lions are paying nothing for the use
Of the highways other than their year
| ly license fee. The people are being
taxed to maintain these highways
which are wearing out at a rapid rate
under the heavy traffic to which they
are being subjected.
The people of those states are pay
ing an exorbitant rate of taxation in
order to maintain a road over which
private companies are operating
transportation sytsem for private gain
in direct competition with the rail-
roads and it seems that the railroads
ere breaking down as consequence.
Then the question, will this be con-
ducive to the best interests of the peo-
pie as a whole? Remember that rail-
roads are buildcd for public service
with private capital for private gain.
Our highways are builded with pub
lie capital for public services. linen
| if private companies are allowed to OPP
crate over them, public service trans
rortation system for private gain,
they should be compelled to pay tax
that would return to the public MAIN
Itenance fund and interest on the in
Ivestment. Imagine, if you can, pri-
vate corporation operating mercan-
tile establishment without cost to
Them in a Government building. We
LIDO not build them for that purpose,
neither should we build roads for that
nurpose. In view of the foregoing
facts, cannot conceive of the Leglsla-
ture launching our state upon sucn
program of road building. This brings
US to the third plan.
The Post Roads or Farm to Market
Plan. The critics Of this plan make
the assertion that it would be pork
barreling the money out. That II
would not be drop in the bucket,
that we could not procure Government
aid for such a program. will ans
wer these criticisms in the order NAM
ed.
First, Pork Barreling it out. The
supporters of the Post Roads Plan Or
the Farm to Market Plan, are asking
the Legislature to provide for a non
nartisan commission Of five men whose
duty it will be to see that each mile
If Post Roads outside of the corporate
limits of cities or towns gets its pro-
portionate share of all moneys avail
able Same to be paid after the COM
mission has in their possession posi-
| tive evidence that the road has been
constructed as per plans and specifica-
lions. Do you get any smell of pork
from this?
The second criticism--would not be
a drop in the bucket. The $6O,OoO,ooo
alone would allow an expenditure of
$1,000 per mile for each mile of road
proposed in this plan. Honest, now,
people. would not that amount of mon
ey spent on each mile of road between
YOUR farm and your market town be at
least a drop in the bucket? Would
this prove to be disaster to your
community to have the road over
which YOU must market the products
of your farm improved to the tune OF
$1,000 per mile?
The third objection-we could not
procure Government aid. Let us con-
slider briefly that statement. The con-
stitution of the United States vests in
Congress the power to establish and
maintain postoffices and post roads
There is no other authority under the
constitution delegated to Congress,
under which they can build roads. All
moneys appropriated for road build
ing is appropriated under this proVl-
sion. That being the case, then, if
the Legislature of Missouri should,
backed by the people of Missouri, des-
ignate the Post Roads Of our state as
the ones upon which we would expend
the vast sum of $6O,OOO,0O0, l ask in
all seriousness, is it reasonable that
the Government would withhold Gov
eminent aid to the Improvement OF
the identical roads for which the mon
II -. .,o- o,,rroDr;oted7 IT. isn't reason