The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1926-05-13
IT'S CERTAINLY HARD TO UNDERSTAND
SOME FOLKS

II = LEM AiINL1 Ian ~ OlfOLENO AEAAsO
SOME FOLKS
Continued From First Page)
"Old Man (any name that suggests ITSELF had
a farm, eeh eye, eeh eye, ouch!
On that farm he had some bumps, eeh eye, cen
eye, oh!
Here a hump, there a bump, everywhere a rut
or hole,
Wish I'd routed by the Pole.
Mothers who push their babies, or lead their
older offspring through the dense clouds of germ
laden dust may find comfort in the possibility of eX-
periencing d relief from WhOOping cough and
humps, and try their hand at combating smallpox
or a lingering case of T. B.-a heritage from past
generations.
Of course it does not hurt shoes or clothing to
wade through gumbo mud. So far as that goes we
don't have to do our shopping on our own Main
street. We can send for mail by a neighbor. When
we need pants, prunes or pork chops we can hit a
good highway and buy in a town that has safe, sanl-
tary, passable streets. Of course a gallon OF the gas
used would more than pay the average taxpayers
annual share of the cost of surfacing our Main
street. But who cares for that if "P' and ME TOO"|
can get even with Main street.
OF course it does not matter a WhOop if our town
gets gObs of ribald ridicule and free advertising with
the reverse English from the thousands who trade
here, or want to trade here, or who travel through,
or desire to attend the annual Stampedes and Bar
gain Carnivals. Such influences never keep out
prospective residents, hurt property values or re-
duce chances for employment. Suppose that IS the
effect, revenge is sweet.
Of course it is only a small matter to put the
CITY in the position of a V elcher. Making contracts
one week and breaking them the next. Giving the
citv's word to those who have tried to offer us an
opportunity to save money through cooperation, and
then breaking that word. 1t Is always well IOf an
official. the minute he chances on authority to cor
rect the mistakes of predecessors. The wills Of two
or three people should outweigh the sober OPINION
of two or three hundred, certainly, every time.
Maybe if we wait a few months, we can drive
a sharp bargain with the power company. But that
means maybe and nothing else but maybe us dol-
lars to doughnuts we will be humping the bumps
next year this time and then a while. In the mean
time the opportunity for economy in the cost OF sur
facing the street will have slipped by.
It appears to be simply unthinkable that the
municipal power plant should be shut down some
three years in an effort to get cheaper power tan
experiment, if you please, cheap enough so all-night
lights could be afforded as a measure of protection
against veggs and prOWlerS The use OF S5,OOO for
surfacing the street, and the cutting OH OF expense
for almost useless repairs is not to be considered.
Such a deal might dent the aW-sOmethlng that
never was done before.
To distribute over the whole city the cost Of
making Main street a serviceable thOrOughfare for
the use of all who will and must use it-either with
or without deals with the power company-Would
Of course be the rankest sort of injustice, and a tax
burden almost unbearable. The cost Of making
roads any place in the country is borne by ALL the
taxpayers, outside of incorporated towns and cities.
in towns and cities the expense put on residence
streets is borne by ALL the taxpayers of the city,
Mainstreeters and all. Of course it would be gross
ly unfair to expect the taxpayers of the residence
portions to reciprocate when it comes to making
permanent, money saving Improvements on Main
Street. The cost would be something outrageous.
The engineer in charge has estimated the cost
of the city's share Of the crawling project at
81, 800. He said it might reach $4,000. Again it
might be less than the lower estimate. But suppose
the cost proved to be the full $4,000, then suppose,
because of those who fail to pay their taxes, etc.,
the tax rate for this particular item had to be higher
those who do pay. Then let's see what this job
really would cost.