Abilene weekly reflector., 1922-04-06
HARD ROADS AND TAXES


comment: "Why don't you publish
such letters as this instead OF boost
ing for hard road construction com
panies?"
In his letter Mr.. Latzke refers 10
Farmers In eastern states that are
paying $1,000 year ON quarter
section because Of hard surface
roads" We do not know to what
state he refers. Illinois Is building
hundreds OF miles OF paved roads
but II is all paid out OF the automo-
bile tax; Iowa IL doing the same'
Wisconsin. Ohio and other states
build through the state, paying u
mostly out of the automobile taxes.
He says that IL years ago ne heard
an Oklahoma man say that we can
not afford hard surface roads. ProDa-
bly he did, but times have changed
considerably In IL years and maybe
the Oklahoma man knew what ne
was talking about and maybe ne
didn't. why has the state tax IN
creased SIS per cent-it would De
better policy to decrease 1t instead
of accumulate II to get more federal
aid and then compel the farmers 10
build hard surfaced roads," says
Mr.. Iatzke. II he will look up the
law, he will find that that state taxes
have nothing whatever to DO win
federal aid or roads. State taxes go
for schools, penitentiaries, asylums'
state offices and courts. No one Is
compelled" to build anything. Every
hard surfaced road In the state mas
been built because more than hall
the people In the district petitioned
for it. He also objects to cons0li-
dated schools but wants rural schools
and the children to drive horses IN
stead of ears. He declares that this
county has sold over million dollars
I'm road bOnds-which OF course is
considerably cxaggerated-and that
the building Of paved roads mas de-
creased the value of his land in ac-
cordance with the taxes.
All this Is rather severe. We rec
ognize that Mr.. LatZke has perfect
right to his ideas but when he talks
about locking the door Of his farm
house and giving away his property
because the taxes for roads are driv-
ing him into bankruptcy 1t presents
serious conaition-if true.
Mr.. Latzke is one Of the best farm
ers of the county. He owns $40
acres of rich Rinehart township land.
It is assessed for $4,000 and proba-
bly could not be bought for $4,000.
He has personal property assessed AT
S1O.S5O. His total assessed valua-
ton Is $40, 800. On this handsome
fortune which he has made in this
county he pays in taxes on federal
aid roads, for building, sinking fund
and maintenance $46.37. If 1t has
decreased the value of his land the
decrease amounts to cents an acre.
For this he has a raved road from
Chapman, his nearest town, to Abb
lene, the county seat Cor to Junction
CITY in few weeks) giving him a
market and pleasure for himself and
his family 1t may be that the pay
ment of $46.37 will bring bankruptcy
to Mr.. Latzke, but If so he Is running
his $40 acres on rather closer margin
than most farmers.
Going back ten years the county
records show that Mr.. Latzke then
had all his present farm except one
quarter section which he has proba-
bly, bought since then. His land was
assessed for taxation at $64O Il quar-
ter-he paid taxes on a little less
than $4,000. Now his assessed
property is close to $4,000, an aver
age of $3,700 Il year above his liv-
ing which ought to be fairly salts
factory, and does not indicate tina,
he has been ''bankrupted" by taxes
or anything else. We congratulate
him on his fine prosperity but are
) little surprised that he does not re
joice in this advancement Of thu
county and himself instead Of feel
l ing so discouraged about 1t. Most o
] us would be glad to have his kin'
. of bankruptcy" 1t is difficult t
see where he has much ground 10
J complaint that Kansas has not treat
ed him well or to understand VIII,
. his share of $46.37 In the cost OF
fine paved road to the county sea
= Is going to bring him to the poor
house.
Part of modern progress has com
because of 5000 motor cars in thi
county-ten years ago there wer
probably not 600. Trucks hav
come, so have tractors. Transports
ton 365 days in the year on mai
roads Is a necessity! without 1t ever
farmer loses. Consolidated school
are taking the place Of distrio
schools and while Mr.. Latzke want
his children to drive the old hOrs
and 20 to the district school, tn
young folks probably have more at
vanced ideas.
Mr.. Latzke represents a few mel
farmers and. others, who have grow
wealthy and then fear to spend
penny beyond the barest necessitie
| The result usually Is that after the
1are gone the !, next, generatir
Ibranches out and SsPendA thu smprie
perhaps unwise1y, Protesting again
progress simply nastponea nay men
JHe paysaa tax rate ef $1I ON $1e'
/. lin town we pay SSs6f sapa do q
worry about 1t. We pay the san
for the hard surface roads he do
and get far less out Of 1t. Abilel
roared about paving and some fol
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