The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1930-10-11
them to leave something for their
children to do, after the parents had
gone over the great divide.


gone ove the great divide.
It was at a time when, despite the
fact that we had just as many county
officials as now, n could pay the
taxes on a Quarter-section of land in
this state with about ten dollars Tin
1908 the writer paid taxes on a good
quarter section of land in Mclean
county, North Dakota, with less than
fourteen dollars, and taxes on the
same land today are five times that
much.
Taxes-like death-creep On apace.
Most people do not just fall over dead,
BIT begin by having symptoms. Today
they have, a slight temperature, to-
morrow a slight chill, and then later
take down sick and kick off. Taxes
come on by degrees, likewise. If the
difference in taxes for a period of ten
years was all heaped on the taxpayer
in one year there would be a reyolu-
ton, but such is not the Use It
comes on SO little at a time that, while
some growl a lot about it, no n
takes it seriously. Each year 1t is just
a little harder to pay your taxes, and
each year you are admonished that
your roads should be made better:
that you should in some way raise
enough money to meet the federal re-
quirements, so the state can get the
federal help; and no n dares to raise
his voice in protest. If you allow taxes
to keep piling up it will not be long
until all you can make will not pay
them, and still there will be roads to
build.
While we agree with Mr. Holland on
most of his article, we cannot agree
with him on the al for the cutters
in the gravel roads. The sweeping over
the roads, as he says, by the high
powered cars has nothing to do with
making the cutters. The cutters are
made by the blade on the grader. You
will note that the cutters do not run
in a straight line across the roads,
but do run diagonally, just as the
blade is poised diagonally across the
road. This blade will hit a surface
that it cannot carry with it; it then
jumps up, the pressure on it again
brings it back to the surface. and the
rut is made. If water has anything
to do with it, as MIR. Holland says,
then why did we have so many cutters
this year when we had no water?
These cutters run clear out into
the grass at the edge Of the road; and,
If the speed of the car makes them,
why is it that We find them out just
as far as the blade runs, and beyond
where the cars run? !.
MI. Holland agrees with me on loose
gravel, but the highway commission
does motor, if it does, it does moth
Ing about 1t, for 1t still keeps the
maintainer going every day. wise
men change" ETC.: and as we said In
our article on this subject before, If
we are wrong, why not prove 1t by
keeping this grader off of the roads
for Just one week? That would DEM
onstrate this matter beyond question
or doubt.
The writer at one time lived in the
state that built the first gravel roads
that were built anywhere In the
United States-in fact, we have helped
to build them-and we had no blades
running over them every day, nor did
they have any maintenance at all ex-
cept to haul a load Of gravel OCCASION
ally and fill In depressions; and we
had good, smooth gravel roads with
out a blade. This, Of course, would
not do in this great commonwealth.
that in truth and fact is yet In its
swaddling clothes but Is putting on
mere airs than the old states that are
infinitely more able to pay taxes.
It seems, though, that when men
are elected to office. either state or
municipal, they are seized with q
| squandermania and that their great
est ambition is to spend money. They
are well provided for themselves. and
i! half of them pay NJ taxes and care
but little for the fellow who does.
| When the state legislature met last
! time, it seems that about all it did
was to make appropriations. create
new offices, and tell the people of this
state generally how to be good.
This may be lese majesty on my
part, but it is true, nevertheless. Keep
off the roads for a week with your
gutter diggers, let the gravel get set
tied, and thereby save a few lives and
incidentally a few dollars for the
taxpayers. Yours truly,
j. N. McCARTER,
Steele, N. Oak.