The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1882-05-18
The County Roads.

Next Thursday the voters of the county will
be called upon to adopt or reject the road law
which we publish in another column. Before
his vote is cast, we hope that every man will
carefully read the bill. and maturely consider
its provisions. 1t is not perfect, but 1t is so
far superior to the present system that we do
not see any good reason why it should not
have trial. 1t is the best that can be done
for at least two years. The sessions of the
legislature are biennial. The present system
must therefore be endured until the next meet
ing of the General Assembly, or the new plan
be put into execution. Between the two there
should be little hesitation in making selec-
ton. Nothing could be less efficient than the
present law. Any change would be for the
better. We cannot under any conceivable
circumstances have worse roads, and the
chances are in favor of bettering their con-
dition if the proposed system is adopted.
1t is unnecessary to expatiate on the desira-
bility of having good roads. Every intelli-
gent man in the county knows, or ought to
know, their value, especially after the expert
noyance and expense which were then under
gone, must be repeated year after year until
effective measures are instituted to remedy
those evils. As we stated before. the proposed
law is far from being perfect, but anything
would be an improvement that will do away
with the one now in force
So far as the increase in the tax is concerned,
it will be Insignificant compared with the bene-
fits to be derived. There is not man in the
county who would not rather make judicious
expenditure Of $40, than to foolishly throw 81
away. In other words, he can better afford to
lay out $40 with the certainty of getting a
commensurate return, than give 81 without
any prospect of receiving its value.
We do not like that feature of the b;lfwhich
requires every man to contribute, if necessary,
four days work 1t is unjust and unreason-
able to tax SO heavily those who own no stock,
no vehicles, and who, if they travel at all,
must make their way on foot. But even this
provision is less Objectionable than the one it
is intended to supplant. Under the present
law the road surveyor may call out the hands
in his precinct just as often as he may think
proper. The poor man must, if required, take
his pick and shovel and put in as many days as
may be demanded of him. The power of the
surveyor is not limited under the present law,
but it will be if the new law is adopted.
The best feature of the proposed measure is
the letting of the roads to contract, and pro-
ui6 l,o
countys interest while the contract is being
performed. AS the case now stands, the sur
veyor of the roads is often public nuisance.
The position is forced upon him, and as soon
as possible he gets rid of it. He orders the
hands out and presumably undertakes to i'm
prove the roads. To save fine, the hands
put in an appearance, one or two at time,
and do just as little as possible. In a majority
of cases they make point of avoiding instead
of performing the tasks assigned them. 1t
not unfrequently happens that the surveyors
inexperience and want of judgment make the
road worse than it was before. To be sure the
surveyor is indictable if his roads are impassa-
BILE. But what does the Indictment amount
to? If he can get rid of his office by paying
small fine, he considers it good investment.
And then, too, no one feels disposed to make
complaint to the court, when he knows the
party against whom complaint must be made
gets practically nothing for his services The
chances are that the party complaining will be
entrapped himself and placed in the unenvia-
BILE position from which his neighbor is re-
moved if the court takes cognizance of the
delinquency. For these reasons, 1.-THE indicta-
BILE provision of the present law amounts to
nothing. Under the new law, however, it
would be different. When it is understood
that man is being paid a reasonable COM
pensation for his services, there will be JUS
tice IN demanding that he faithfully perform
his duties. The fact that others would be
anxious to receive the appointment would
have the effect of holding the commissioner to
rigid discharge OF the requirements of his
Office No one weud hesitate then to make
complaint, because there would be just cause
for complaint, nor would there be any danger
of not having men of judgment and expert
ence. The work done would be done where
it would do the most good. The contractor
would be held to his contract under penalty
of a forfeiture 1t would be to the interest of
the contractor to get as much out of the hands
under his control as possible. There would
be little if any Sinking and avoidance, and
with the labor which is now supposed to be
expended on the roads, at least double the
amount of work would be accomplished and
the highways observation-disclosures
We think the people Of Augusta can well
afford to give this new bill trial. Before the
next legislature meets, they will have ample
opportunity to test its merits. If it is found
10 be inefficient, there will be no difficulty in
getting a change. 1t is certainly better than
the old law, and if judiciously executed, will
result in much good.
The whole matter is for the county people
to decide. They are to say whether or not
the proposed system shall be adopted, and if
adopted their immediate representatives, the
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