The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1874-05-30
'MTht Cecil myats
COUNTY ROADS.


We find the following communication in
the Annapolis Gazette, which was written
by Mr.. Allen Bowie Davis, of Montgom-
cry county, and read before the State
Agricultural Society at its last Annual
Meeting. Cecil county has special road
law passed by the last Legislature, which
responsible duty of putting in operation
rests on the County Commissioners, and
some of the suggestions advanced by Mr..
Davis in his admirable article may be of
advantage to the Commissioners. Mr..
Davis says:
The Legislature of Maryland, just closed, at the
instance of the State Agricultural and Mechanical
Association, passed law, which, in conjunction with
existing laws if rightly executed and put in force may
be made very beneficial to the people, and of great
advantage to the several counties Of the State.
In effect it has created and made the County Com
missoners a corporation and body polite and among
other duties given them plenary the county
roads They have under this law authority to lay out
roads, and to close alter and improve old roads
with power to employ an engineer, appoint managers
and supervisors and generally to direct control and
manage the whole system of locating, altering mpr9v-
ing and directing the repair and management of the
public roads of the several counties in their judg
shall seem best for the public good; with authority
to levy upon the taxable property of the people
sufficient to meet and the expense of such
management and control of county roads.
1t will be that great responsibility thrown
upon the County Commissioners, with ample power and
authority to put the law in force For good for evil
its wise unwse execution will be felt and have to he
borne by the people, That great good and benefit to the
public will follow from wise execution of the law do
not entertain shadow of doubt, and evil and oppres
just certainly follow 1t is, therefore, of the first
Importance that all the light possible shall be thrown
upon the subject. To that end your columns will
doubtless be to all who have studied and thought
vitality important question.
1t scarcely necessary at this day. to dwell upon the
Importance Of good roads to an agricultural and subur-
ban people. On their good or bad condition depends
their comfort character and welfare They the
index Of the state of civilization to which community
have advanced. They largely influence the value of
land and the cost of transporting to market the pro-
auctions of the soil depends upon the good had
dition of the public roads leading to market towns
Hence they largely influence the profit and loss account
of the farmer, well as the value of land.
These observations are preliminary to the inroduc-
ton of the mode plan by which public roads in other
countries and other States have been brought to high
state of perfection and by which those States and
countries in population wealth and the comforts and
conveniences of life, have outstrppcd the good old
State of Maryland.
First in good old mother country, England, whose
government is marked by quick perception, and
prompt action to adopt and adapt its laws to the wants
welfare and improvement of the people, the Parishes of
the counties separately charged with laying out
structon preservation and repair the public
Second where would least expect it, from her
moist climate and SOIL and the cxctable character of
her people, Ireland, from recent and most authentic
sources, presents example worthy of imitation
There Baroness subdivision of counties charged
in England with the construction preservation and
repair of their public or counties roads.
And thirdly coming to our own country, we
forced to give to Massachusetts, whose example has
been in this respect followed by several of the Northern
and Western States the first place the construction
preservation and repair of her public roads There like
in England and ireland, the T0tunS townships sub
divisions of counties charged with the same duty
All these names, parish, barony and towns answer to
subdivisions of Districts Counties being large
subdivisions of States appropriately retain functions,
such as Assizes County Courts Orphans Courts Com
missioners of Tax and Review and for the election
members of Parliment this country the Legis-
lature the aw-making power. But in the local mat
of free schools of the poor (oupensioners
and public roads, all old well settled and well governed
States and countries have found by experience that it
is far cheaper and better to bring these questions
nearly home to the people Immediately interested
possbe-and thus the subdivisions of Parishes in Eng
land Baronies in Ireland and Towns in Massachusetts
and many of other States to which they
RENTED
To bring the question home here in Montgomery
would ask what particular interest have the people
Berys district in either the free schools pensioners
public roads Medleys district: and uicc reySa. In
the Board of County Commissioners, when either of
these subjects brought up for consideration, the
Commissioner from Berrys district in consequence of
his of Information of the local feelings and
of the people of Medleys, will, matter of course,
def to and depend the representation and wishes
of the Commissioner from that district And in turn.
when the questions up from Berrys district
tho Commissioner from Medeys WILL in recollection of
the courtesy and consideration of Lis friend from
Berrys. be just deferentia yielding and dependant
upon the representation and wishes of his friend from
all around the nye districts OF the
county. Practically, then, instead of the judgment,
action and decision of five commissioners upon these
interesting and important local questions we in fact
and effect have but the WILL Judgment and decision of
single man.
For these questions the per diem and mileage
commissioners might just S well be saved to the
county, by allowing each commissioner, upon these
pur ly local questions to hold court at home and in
his own district near to the people mostly interested
where without expense or Inconvenience they pre-.
sent their wishes, advice remonstrance the
may be- and where such advice and remonsrance could
be to be felt and respec wi at is far better
in each of the 10 which have referred namely
England, Ireland and Massachusetts,, appoint elect
local boards of twelve in each district he number
chosen both in England and lreand to direct manage
and control til ess local questions Let the experiment
for trial be made first with the public roads. the
law authorizes in each of tho election districts to
whom shall be RENTED the entire management con-
troll supervision and repair of the public roads in each
district The expense to be charged upon the parcu
lar district taken charge of by said boards Of local
road managers This will then essentially be the much
coveted and talked-of local selfgovernment.
The people risk in making this experiment.
If my suggestion could prevail it would be that these
local boards the first year least without
pensaon. Even if paid the usual diem their cost,
meeting but twice in each (Which els cwhere has
been found quite often enough would be nothing
pared with the cost every year of Examiners (whose
place the board would take to view. open and alter
roads, build bridges &c. and that the public roads
would be better and more economically repaired, it
would be to reverse the great moving lever of human
action, viz: seltinterest, we cannot for moment
doubt.
A very large sum is annually levied for the open
ing repair OF puDHc stronS sentiment pro-
walls that under present system much of this money
is causelessy spent fnot actually wasted by the great
body of the people ourfths of the roads upon which
this money is used never SEEM have they the
smallest interest in them Yet under the present plan
they taxed and have to pay for them. The plan
under consideration is to relieve the people from pay
ing for what they never have any interest
in: and to give them the option of paying not for
what they and have direct personal interest
in. The appointment of twelve las practsed in
the instances to which have referrei) gives every
nsishborhood, and every section of neighborhood
opportunity to be represented and the advantage of
the collected wisdom of twelve upon subject
personally interesting to alb cannot be doubted,
ever-estimated.