The Bozeman courier., 1921-10-05
TAXES AND ROADS

are most in the minds of those who have to pay
them. The law passed at the last session Of the
legislature extending the time for paying taxes
may or may not have been a benefit to the people
of the state. One thing is certain the taxes had
to be paid, one time of another and while there
is no question but that many were not able to
pay them last fall when they became delinquent
and the additional time granted was temporary
relief, the burden is as great now as any wish to
bear.
Taxes are not looked upon by most taxpayers
in the light Of what they are used for One in
stance is in the matter of roads. We hear great
deal of complaint from time to time about the
high taxes, and at the same time we also hear
more complaint about the poor condition of roads
Right now the farmer realizes more than at any
time of the year the necessity of good roads. And
it is the taxes that provide the means for build
ing roads which will make it possible for farm
ers to get their products into the market
No county should stint the road building In
the levying of taxes it should be the plan of COM
missioners to provide enough funds for the build
ing of roads as will bring them to a standard of
high efficiency so that farmer can haul his
crops to town in the shortest possible time. II
should also be the plan to build such roads, and
maintain them, so that full load can be hauled
at any time of the year. There is nothing SC
expensive to the farmer as the necessity of haul
ing his grain, or other products, to the market
over roads which in stormy weather are so soft
he can hardly get over them with an empty
wagon. And these same roads are always the
worst to travel after they dry up, due to theil
being filled with deep ruts and hollows making
of any size over them.
Many dollars of the taxes paid into a county
are wasted upon roads. This fault lies in the
useless building Of roads that are not kept uT
after they have been constructed. Many roads
throughout the state have been built at great ex
pense and then left to the ravages of time anC
the hard useage they receive without bit of up
keep until they become impossible. Then The
same amount Of money spent to build them thu
first time, is required to rebuild them All this
is useless waste of money. There should be
system of maintenance on all county roads, es
pecialy upon those over which the creates
amount Of traffic passes.
The Gallatin county commissioners have an
nounced they will institute patrol system OF
the trunk line roads the coming year. This is a
it should be. Roads once constructed, can b
maintained at a small percentage of the origina
outlay in building, and with proper methods O
maintainance the cost in taxes will be greatl
reduced and the roads will be in better shape tn
year around.
If the proposition is looked at from the RICH
viewpoint, the taxes for road construction is tn
best money paid into the county fund. Goo
roads adjacent to a farm increase it's value. an
good roads can only be realized through the cor
tinued efforts upon the part of the county CON
mlssIoners in careing for them after they hav
been built. And with good roads all the yea
around, the farmer can choose his best time fo
hauling products to market. Often the bes
prices for farm products are quoted at a tim
when roads are in so impossible condition ths
1t IS impossible for a farmer to get to marke
Even If he can struggle through the difficu
roads to town ne is compelled to haul such sma
loads it is not a profitable venture for him. S
that ne looses two ways. Looses the money pai
out for road construction in taxes, and the extr
margin on his products which he might hay
realized could he have hauled his crop to MAJ
ket at the proper time.
Maintaining the roads after they have bee
built should be one of the prime interests {
every board of county commissioners