FREE GRAVEL ROADS.
The reading of the Clerk's journal was dispensed with.
Senator Comstock's bill [S. 79--see page 178 of these Reports] for the purchase of toll roads and providing for the maintenance of free roads, was read the third time.
Mr. KENNER said the people of the State have come to the conclusion that they want free grael roads. Of all the bills introduced in this Assembly this bill is the most mild. It provides that if a majority of the voters of a Township declare that they wish to buy a toll road, the Board of County Cmmissioners may cause it to be appraised, and if in their discretion the appraisement is a fair one they may act upon it. If they deem it too high they may reject it, and have another appraisement, Then it is in their discretion whether they will purchase it or not. It also guards against the purchase of a road if the County is in debt for a road previously bought. This bill is of the utmost interest to the whole State and I hope it will pass.
Mr. CARR, of White, said: There are some things in this House that have been neglected during this session. With all the eloquence displayed, not one single man has ever raised his voice here in the interest of the tax-payer of the State of Indiana--not one single word has been heard. Because of the fact that the bill is well page: 124[View Page 124] guarded, is no evidence at all that it is right, This is almost like the law we had a few years ago, to allow Counties to vote taxes to aid railroad corporations. We soon saw where that we t to, and repealed the law, and now here are similar bills, for the voting of taxes to aid in the construction of gravel roads. It will lead the same thing. We have turnpikes running from our Township into the city of Lafayette. Under this bill we would have the power to tax all the balance of the County, where there is not a single gravel road, for the construction of a gravel road from our Township to Lafayette. I submit that this would work a great hardship. I hope the bill will not pass.
Mr. MEREDITH--This bill is in the interest of my people and I think in the interest of the people throughout the whole State, who like free roads. I have, as well as many others here, advocated the cuuse of the tax-payers and poor people of the State, and I think the assertion of the gentlemen [Mr. Carr] is a broad one to make--that there is no one here to advocate the interest of the tax-payer. There are plenty of us here who are standing between the people and these expenditures just as well as the gentleman from White. I think it would be carrying out the wish and desire of the people to pass this bill.
Mr. WILSON, of Montgomery, said his constituents were anxious to have some such legislation upon the subject of roads as is contained in this bill. He favored its passage.
Mr. EDWINS said personally he favored such a bill, but the people of his County being opposed to it because of the taxation upon people distant from the roads, he would vote against it on that account.
Mr. SINCLAIR--There are some toll roads that are not paying which must be sold. If that is the case--if these roads do not pay for the keeping of them--let the owners have the County take them and keep them up. It looks to me as though there was some job in this matter--that somebody wants to sell out their roads; therefore, I shall vote against the bill.
Mr. ROBERTS spoke in favor of the passage of the bill.
The bill passed--yeas, 53; nays, 29.
