PROCEEDINGS OF THE WINTER MEETING. 43 



twelve hundred millions are entirely exempt. The burden is all laid at the 

 door of the farming community. The farmers, during the last fifty years, 

 have given in land over twenty million dollars for highways. They have 

 expended on the same, in labor and money, over one hundred millions. 

 Much of this has been wasted because there has not been enough of avail- 

 able means to make permanent improvement, the greater share of it having 

 been expended in preparatory work and repairs. 



In order to secure good roads we must have wise and honest legislation, 

 such as will compel all property to bear its proper share of the burden for 

 the improvement of the public roads of the state. Provision should be 

 made for a common highway fund, to be made up from property which now 

 contributes nothing for the highways — a fund somewhat similar to the 

 primary school fund — the same to be distributed to the counties and town- 

 ships, and expended under the direction and supervision of well qualified 

 commissioners and engineers. Such aid, supplemented with the help which 

 the farming community would then most cheerfully give, and give the same, 

 too, in full, honest days' works, would soon see us well advanced on the 

 highway of road improvement. And soon we might sing the following 

 song: 



Michigan is from mad redeemed, 



And by all people is esteemed 



For first-class roads as well as men; 



And henceforth "Si Qneeris Peninsnlam amcenam " 



Will have fall meaning (although late), 



As first designed, " Behold a state." 



HOW TO BUILD WITHOUT CHANGING THE LAW. 



Upon this phase of the question the secretary read a paper of his own, 

 showing how good roads have been built at his home, Allegan, under 

 existing conditions. 



In nearly all the discussions upon this interesting and intensely prac- 

 tical subject of road building, alteration of the present laws as to high- 

 ways is assumed to be the beginning of wisdom. At least I never have 

 heard of a discussion that did not proceed more or less upon that basis. 

 I have never heard it claimed that the present system is adequate, under 

 any conditions, to secure the results so much desired. Hence I prepare 

 this short paper to show that, however defective those laws may be, they 

 are sufficient, when executed in the right spirit, to provide excellent roads, 

 though perhaps not dividing the expense thereof as equitably as might 

 be. So, if in its culminative and inscrutable wisdom, our legislature does 

 not materially alter these statutes, the friends of road reform need not 

 altogether despair. 



Under any system, an awakened and dominant public sentiment is the 

 primal requisite. Without it, good roads will not be built, no matter 

 what the laws; for roadbuilding is especially a matter of local self-govern- 

 ment, and must needs remain so. 



The village of Allegan, with a population of 3,000 people, is in a most 

 unpromising situation for economical roadbuilding; and just in proportion 

 to the difficulties were the needs of better highways. For many years the 

 old plan of frittering away the efforts and the cash by numerous patches, 

 all around the roads and streets, had prevailed, and the state of the ways 

 went on from bad to worse. But in 1886 a different policy was adopted. 



