No. 7. DEPARTMEiNT OF AGRICULTURE. 395 



general road system. In that way we can get the main roads made, 

 and that is what we want. We can't expect to have all these little 

 by-roads made. 



I was told by the engineers in the State of New York, that it is 

 a question of "pull." I live on a public road that will not be im- 

 proved, and I am standing here to represent what I think will be 

 for the best interests of the State regardless of my individual in- 

 terests. I am willing as a taxpayer to put up my money to have the 

 main roads of the counties improved, because they are inter-State 

 roads. They are just as much used for commerce as the railroads 

 are, and for that reason, I think that the State should take hold 

 of these main traveled roads, and if the farmers of this State 

 stand together and adopt some system like that in Massachusetts, 

 I am satisfied that they can get it. 



The great contention in this matter for the last few years was, 

 that the object of the bill, as it was originally framed, was to allow 

 those counties that applied first to get the money, and it was in 

 the hands of the Road Commissioner to decide who would get the 

 first, and the upshot of that business would be if it were a law, 

 that many counties would not see any of that money for the next 

 twenty years, and that is the object, as I understand, to-day. If 

 these poor counties cannot build roads, it is to go to the richer coun- 

 ties; that is what I am objecting to. I believe one county in Penn- 

 sylvania is just as good as another, and for that reason should 

 have the assistance of the State. The main thoroughfares of the 

 State should be under State control and the State should assume 

 the responsibility of their construction, under a method similar to 

 the one I have stated, and the State can well afford to do it. 



When you ask about the money, if you will look over the reports 

 of the treasurer, you will find there are millions of dollars of sur- 

 plus; and besides that, I have claimed, and still claim, that lots of 

 this money that is put into the State Treasury is money that should 

 never leave the county. For example, that additional liquor tax 

 which was put on in 1897, and the mercantile license tax, and the 

 personal property tax. Now .the personal property tax, which 

 amounts to over three millions of dollars, is paid into the State 

 Treasury — three-fourths of which is returned, so there is still one- 

 fourth left, or about |900,000. Most of that money is raised by 

 taxing mortgages and judgments on the farms and homes which 

 are already over-taxed. This additional tax should be used to 

 relieve that taxation. So I say that the State can well afford to 

 build the different main roads through the State in the different 

 counties. It will be but a few years until we get National aid. I 

 would not have a road law passed that has something hooked to it 

 that if a poor fellow don't whack up, he don't get anything. 



The Chair called on Mr. Detrich for some remarks. 



MR. DETRICH: Mr. Chairman, I am not a member of this or- 

 ganization, and merely came here to have the pleasure of listening to 

 your proceedings. I think one of your committee reports gave us 

 some few lessons about discrimination and I noticed it was sug- 

 gested that automobiles should be taxed fifty dollars each. Am I 

 right? 



MR. CLARK: Yes. 



