The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-12-13
Mhe G!gtttl M'slNyhis
ELKTON, DECEM Der Is, 1873.
OUR ROAD LAWS.

OUK kOAD LAWS.
The time for the meeting of our Legisla-
turc will soon arrive. We wonder what it
proposes to do. There is some very i'm
portant business to transact; some import
ant changes that should be made in exist
ing laws, which time and experience have
pointed out.
Among those amendments, none is more
needed than change in the road laws.
Under the present enactments pertaining
to public roads, the County Commissioners
are supposed to assume entire control of
the highways, but nothing is more falla-
cious. The Commissioners to be sure levy
the tax-appoint what purports to be
Supervisors and pay the tax TO them,
which the Collectors have gathered in.
This is absolutely all the power they have
under the present road system of our State.
The Supervisors send in such bills as they
see fit. They employ whatever force they
can most conveniently pick up, and make
such bills as they, in their good pleasure,
choose; and the County Commissioners are
bound to pass and pay them. This has
been the universal practice at least, and
we presume they are obliged to do as they
have invariably done in dealing with Super
visors.
1t is well-established fact that where
no responsibility can be imposed by the
employer on the employed, that the said
employee in nine cases out of ten will
Slight his work, and swell to the utmost
his bills. And this is precisely what is the
matter under our present road system.
The County Commissioners lose all control
over the Supervisor the moment his ap-
pointment is confirmed.
This state of affairs is crying evil, and
calls loudly for redress, and the agricul
tural community suffers most from it;
although the entire public suffer, both
from having the taxes expended without
receiving adequate benefit from the outlay,
and the intolerable imposition and incon-
venence incident to bad roads.
Numerous attempts, or rather partial
attempts, have been made to remedy this
evil, but they all seem to have ended in
abortion. The vastness of the schemes
proposed has generally assisted to defeat
them. A cast-iron system for the whole
State has generally been attempted, which
as matter of course, always failed. 1t
seems to us that remedy might be de-
vsed without exhausting the wisdom of
the Legislature. If the Legislature will
invest the County Commissioners with full
powers to control the management of the
roads, this heretofore difficult promblem
will be higher its solution than ever be-
fore. If it was made the duty of the
gurate system which they conceived best
adapted to their own county, most of the
counties would, ere long, have introduced
plans or systems which would give greatly
improved roads at far less cost. The same
plan would not answer it is probable in all
the counties, but the best mode for each
county, it is fair to presume, would be
adopted by the respective Boards. With
such discretionary powers accorded the
County Commissioners, a new leaf would
be turned. If roads could be given out by
contract for two years, with specifications
furnished for the work and a bond required
for the faithful performance of the obliga.
tions, there would be less money expended
and better roads. Let similar rules be
applied to road making and repairing that
are to building bridges, and the present
swarm of incompetent Supervisors would
disappear, and the business Of road max
ing soon fall into the hands of skillfuI anG
competent men.
Mr.. Knight is an intelligent farmer, an6
knows the torment of bad roads, will he
not give his best efforts to remedy thi.
road evil in the Senate in place Of to the
spawn Of private bills that are thrust Oh the
, Legislature by the lobby? The Doctor
and Mr.. Mackey in the House, will they
not give their undivided efforts to remedy
this road evil? Mr.. Groome will see tina,
the legal interest is attended to. Let the
farmers and doctor watch their and the
great majority Of their constituents inter
est. 1t is a fearful trial for doctor to bt
called out after dark, and have to travel {
dangerous and shockingly bad road. If {
large mainland some doctors of our &C
quaintance are whoppers-his life is il
imminent danger, while the wear and teal
of farmers team and wagons, by rough
roads is beyond estimate. Many valua
BILE horse is crippled, slipping and sliding
over rolling stones in the road, aud many
wheel smashed.