FREE COUNTY ROADS.
Mr. FLOYD submitted a majority report from the Committee on Roads the bill [H. R. 77] to provided for the purchase of toll roads, recommending the passage of the bill with certain amendments.
A minority reprot was submitted from the same Committee, recommending the indefinite postponement of the bill.
Mr. COOPER gave it as his opinion that it was dangerous to place into the hands of the County Commissioners a power which they may exercise to the detriment of the people, whether they exercise it or not. We can not tell what they will do. Shelby County alone has over thirty gravel roads, page: 121[View Page 121] which would cost, without any jobs being put up, $200,000 to $300,000. If Counties have any money to invest, let them invest in development of streams, the construction of free roads and building bridges, and not to the improvement of roads that already exist. This bill imposes burdens upon the people that they are not at this time ready to submit to. We are approaching a period when everything shines brightly upon us, and let us not undertake to burden the people unnecessarily withe taxation. He hoped the minority report would prevail.
The minority report was rejected, and the majority report was concurred in.
Mr. WRIGHT made a motion, which was agreed to, that 300 copies of this bill [H. R. 77] be printed for distribution in this House.
Mr. CARTER submitted an amendment to Section 1, so as to insert a proviso "that the County Commissioners shall not purchase any gravel roads, except upon a petition of the majority of the legal voters in the County."
Mr. FALL was of the opinion that every member in the House wants a bill of a similar nature, and was satisfied a resolution report, or amendment, looking toward the killing, or intent to impair, in any way, the features of this bill would not meet with the wishes of our constituents at home.
Mr. FLOYD said he had no objections to an amendment that would improve the bill, but wanted it published and examined fully in all its details. The amendment would have effect to kill the bill; that would be the legitimate result: hence he considered the amendment simply an interception of the proposition before the house. If, after it is printed, anyone wishes I to make amendments, then would be the time, but he wanted the bill to have a chance to live.
The amendment (Mr. Carter's) was adopted. and the bil ordered engrossed for the third reading.
Mr. FLOYD, from the Committee on Roads, submitted a report on the bill [H. R. 88] authorizing the sales of plank, macadamized and other roads under execution, and empowering purchasers to reorganize, etc., recommending its passage, with amendments.
The report was returned to the Committee for signatures.
