508 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



school term. To correct discrimiuations that exist against the farm 

 and farm owners of Pennsylvania, we respectfully insist that the 

 State either assume a larger proportion of the cost of the local 

 governuient, or give the local governments authority to tax personal 

 and corporate property in each tmit of government. The local 

 government of our State could be further relieved by approi)riating 

 a minimum sum per mile to counties and townships for road pur- 

 poses equal to 100 per cent, of the cash road taxes paid each town- 

 ship. Let the State assume, with the aid of the National govern- 

 ment, the entire construction of interstate and inter-county roads 

 and maintain the same. 



2. If we have not sufficient revenue for the advanced government 

 of the State, an additional tax of one mill could be placed on all 

 personal and corporate property with a small tax on the gross 

 products of mines, oils and gas wells and similar enterprises. An 

 increase license on automobiles would greatly assist in increased 

 revenues, and such revenues received would greatly assist in in- 

 creased reventies, and such revenues received should go specifically 

 for road purposes. 



3. We, your Legislative Committee, would suggest that some rem- 

 edy be presented, or law enacted to regulate the improper use of 

 public roads by teams and cutting them up and almost ruining our 

 public roads through heavy hauling over them without paying any 

 damages to townships, many times ruining the roads for miles. 

 Permits should be taken out, through the Board of Supervisors, be- 

 fore using the roads for continuous heavy traffic. When a public 

 road is almost entirely ruined, many times to the extent of several 

 hundred dollars, some specific remedy should be prescribed by law. 



4. We heartily endorse the Good Eoads Movement that seems to 

 have taken a new lease of life in our State. We highly appreciate 

 the generous efforts of the Pennsylvania Eailroad Company in fur- 

 nishing an educational train to traverse the State from east to west 

 in the hope of bringing out a more determined effort to construct 

 permanent roads all over our great State. We recommend the elec- 

 tion of a County Engineer of Public Eoads, similar to that of a 

 County Superintendent of Public Schools. 



5. The purchase of the old toll roads of the State does not appeal 

 to us as fair, inasmuch as many counties in the past have freed the 

 toll roads and bridges at the expense of their own counties to the 

 amount of many thousands of dollars. 



6. We believe in the intelligent use of the King Drag for our 

 public dirt roads. We would recommend a law compelling telephone 

 companies to interchange messages. 



7. We believe that our farmers are much interested in the passage 

 of a law providing for a State Agricultural Fair. Too much can- 

 not be done for agriculture, either by the appropriation of money 

 or by the passage of new and effective law^s. 



8. We want a law compelling seed dealers to label seed bags either 

 strictly pure, or as containing a percentage of inferior seeds. We 

 are glad to say, however, that our w^orthy Secretary has now in 

 course of preparation a bill fully covering this subject. 



9. We recommend the Initiative and Eeferendum and Eecall sys- 

 tem as it is now practiced in Oregon. 



