Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 February 1915 — APPEALS TO PEOPLE TO PROTECT ROADS [ARTICLE]

APPEALS TO PEOPLE TO PROTECT ROADS

Newton Gounty Superintendent Thinks .Sell-Interest Should Cause All to Do So. The following article written for The Newton County Enterprise by. J. D. Law, of Morocco, county road superintendent for Newton county, is reprinted because we feel that land owners, taxpayers and all interested in the upkeep of roads should respect the law which is made for their protection and not make prosecutions for heavy hauling on soft roads necessary. The article reads: “Morocco, Ind., Feb. 23, 1915. “By invitation of the editor, I have written this letter to the readers of The Enerprise and all others interested in the road question. I wish to call your attention to the fact that the time is here when the injudicious use of the roads wUI do tremendous damage. I have no intention of quoting the law as to What you can or cannot do, hut intend to appeal to your judgment and aelf-inerest in maintaining good roads at the minimum of cost to the taxpayer. “As county road superintendent, I am charged with the maintenance and the protection of the roads from misuse at times when they may bit damaged by overloading. Bult your responsibility in protecting the roads from damage is just as binding as mine, and you should be just as quick to resent any damage to the roads as to your owm property, as in a way they are your own property, as you are taxed for their buildihg and maintenance, and they are for your pleasure as well as your profit. It may be some inconvenience to you, but it will be to your credit to plan your heavy hauling for times when there can be no criticism of your damaging the roads.

“I believe the best way for us to view the road question is from the local standpoint, whether you are an active good road booster or only viewing the matter with a passive mind. Hood roads indicate intelligence, sooal culture, commercial thrift and community interests. Community interest teaches us we must have systematic rod maintenance as well as road building. “Knowing we have this commtfnity interest let us individually and collectively protest against any unnecessary damage to our roads. We know there is no argument against good roads: we know it is more expensive to do without them than it is to build and keep them in repair. “When my two years as county road superintendent has expired I Will be very glad to pass it up to some better man, as the position has been of no advantage to me, and I have sacrificed more in my personal affairs than the salary has paid me. “I wish to say in conclusion and Without any spirit of boasting, but with a feeling of duty done to the best of my ability, as I make no calim of being an expert road builder, but with the satisfaction of knowing that I have more than doubled the amount of repair material placed on the roads of the county with less than one-third increase in road funds used the bast year. I Wish to add I could not have accomplished this without the hearty support of my 12 subsuperintendents. I urged each of these men to make a record and I am glad to say they all made the effort. These men were selected after inquiry of representative men in each township as to their fitness, and I am glad to say without any thought as to their political views, as eight out of the twelve held different political views from myself. “Respectfully submitted, “J. D. LAW, “County Road Superintendent.”