*9 



As an additional ground for improving our highways, 

 we would urge that such improvement would be directly 

 in the interest of harmony between different classes of 

 citizens. We all know that among those who dwell in 

 the more thinly populated regions of our towns and 

 cities, there often exists a feeling that in proportion to the 

 advantage they receive from the public expenses, they 

 have to bear more than their share of the burden of tax- 

 ation. Regarded with perfect candor this feeling is not 

 altogether unnatural. In many of these places a consid- 

 erable amount of the public funds is appropriated for 

 sewerage, for sidewalks, for street lighting, for water 

 works, for the fire department, and for an expensive town 

 hall. 



Those at the centre have the direct advantage of all 

 these, while that obtained by those living more remote is 

 indirect and often next to nothing at all. 



The latter class, however, for the most part, own prop- 

 erty which cannot easily escape taxation, while many at 

 the centre pay only a poll tax, and some of the more 

 wealthy are suspected of holding property which does not 

 appear upon the books of the assessor. In this state of 

 things there is a demaad on the part of the farmers that 

 they have in their own locality, at the public expense, 

 two things — good schools and good roads. The demand 

 is a just one, and should always be met with a liberal 

 spirit. 



Now the one serious question in regard to what has 

 been said is one concerning the increased expenses of the 

 desired improvement. And in reply we would say that it 

 is not altogether certain, indeed it is hardly probable, that 

 through a series of several years even the direct tost 

 would be greater than it now is. 



And if we consider the indirect tax in the way of 



