The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-04-10
URGE VOTERS 10
CAST BALLOTS IN
FAVOR Of ROADS

essary local transportation; sec.
ond, pleasure. All will concede that
the motor has almost displaced the
horse. and will soon entirely ellmI
nate h1m, for economical reasons.
Each community spends a large
amount of money every year for
necessary local transportation. I'm
der the good roads system almosl
every family will be located beside
the good roads, or will be within
one to three blocks Of them. Under
the improved system freight ant
goods OF all kinds will be delivered
from the railroad depot 10 thu
wholesale houses, and thence to
the retailers. quickly. economically
and in good condition. From the
retail merchants goods can be de,
livered To the ultimate consumer n
the same manner.
I'VE are told that the Improved
Roads will cost 81 a year to the
home-owner whose assessment ia
$4,000. l deny that 1t will cost so
much, as I will hereinafter show.
The Question Of Pleasure.
"As to the question OF pleasure.
Let US put a concrete illustration:
suppose a thousand families in a
certain county having no improved
roads should decide to spend $4,000
each in auto pleasures. The total
sum to be expended IS therefore
100000.
Each family uses $1,000 to buy
a Packard Twin.Six and a quantity
OF gasoline. and to make a denosit
at the garage for repairs. They
start out to drive over the old-fash.
toned roads. After three years
their machines are all junk: they
themselves have stIr joints and un.
pleasant ~recollections.
Another thousand families In a
different county. similarly situated,
snend their 100000 as follows:
First. they build $50 miles Of good
roads at a cost Of 100000 a mile
that costs 81, 500 5000.
Next they purchase a thousand
Fords, with gasoline and repair con.
tract. at $500, 900. At the end at
three years they had lots Of good
secondhand Fords. 1850 miles Of
good roads and happy memories.
And that vas not nil. They
found that the $4,000, 900 had not
gone, to Detroit to enrich its inha.
hltants, but had mostly remained
In circulation at or near home;
they found that they were saving
enough money each year in the
matter Of transportation to pay a
big interest on the total invest.
ment, aside from the pleasure
which the roads afforded.
Cost Less Than 81.
II said l would show that tho
bond issue will not cost the 49,.
10000 home owner as much as 81
q year. The maximum that can
be charged is 81; the minimum
will depend upon how many new
factories, residences, stores. shops
and the like are added to the pres.
ent property In tho district. If
there is as much Improvement in
the two districts in the next ten
years as there has been in the past
ten years the amount required 10
carry this bond Issue will he less
than s. per annum to the modest
home owner referred to In the fore
J going.
A friend Of mine, Mr.. RI.
Is a poor man, but a person Of at
least average intelligence and edu.
cation. He talks against the Bond
Issue and says that taxes are al.
ready high enough, II not too
high, and he does not think they
ought to be Increased. He seems
to think that men of wealth arc
getting the advantage Of the poor
men and their families. He owns
a modest little home two blocks
from the proposed improvement.
He says in effect that It is very
hard for a poor nan TO keep even
when he has to pay for food, cloth.
ing, shelter, gus, water, light, doc.
tors bills and so on.
Replies to Argument.
Shortly after ! had talked with
Mr.. R. began to think about
what. I should have said TO him
and my thoughts ran thusly: my
dear man. you are losing sight Of
the fact that the rich man is pay.
ing for the improved roads while
you are only contributing the
poor mans penny.
your little home Is assessed at
$500 as shown on the land book
for 1921. Therefore, to start with
the cost to you and your family
will be S1.40 a year. Later on It
will be one dollar a year; and still
later 1t will probable be as low as
seventy cents a year.
"You have a n%eighbor living on
Morgantown avenue, a few blocks
from your residence, whose home
property alone is assessed, as
shown by the land book for 1921.
at $4,000. This rich neighbor OF
yours will pay on his home prop.
erty exactly 100 times as much as
you will BIO required to pay. In
other words, he will pay as much
as 100 men in your situation will
pay, and he will not 5 the roads
any more than you will have the
right to use them ifeyou wish.
HE may derive more, pleasure
from time then you will derive, but
certainlSn hundred men in your
circumstances can manage among
them to get a quantity Of pleasure
from the good roads.
Who Gets Pleasure?
"When It comes to the use Of
the roads for necessary Transports
tion purposes the chances are that
o hundred families OF men in your
situation will get from so to 100
times as much real benefit as he