Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-03-22

wise them as to construction and main
tenance.
He shall make an annual report to the
legislature Of his doings, and all facts
collected, together with suggestions re-
! garding the improvement of the condi-
ton Of roads and bridges
The advantage of this plan is seen in
the fact that no increase of taxation is
called for beyond the So 600 annual ex-
| penses, but it provides particularly for
the judicious use of every dollar already
| expended on the roads, and aims at max
ing such use of the materials and oppor-
tunlties already at hand, under the
guidance of well qualified and competent
officials, that without an increase of ex-
pense, roads which are now disgrace to
so thiokly populated community shall
become a credit to the commonwealth,
and shall increase the value Of the prop
erty of every citizen and add vastly to
| the comfort and welfare of all who have
occasion to travel upon them.
EVILS OF PRESENT SYSTEM.
Cnder the old plan, still in vogue in
many states, of permitting anyone to
work out part or all of his road tax
too often more harm is done than good to
the roads, and certainly it is safe to say
that less than one-half of the amount of
the tax is seen in actual effective results,
SO that the effect of the Massachusetts
! bill should be to secure saving rather
! than an extra expense to the state, with
rapidly improving roads as a result.
"What we complain of, under the
present condition of affairs, - says one of
your own citizens of the good old nutmeg
! state, who IS already thoroughly inter
| ested in the road question, ''is that all
four wheels of our wagons are often run
ming on different grades. This kind of a
road, if body tries to trot any is apt
| to throw child out of its mothers
arms. We let our road-menders shake
US enough to the mile to furnish assault
and battery cases for thousand police
courts. -
It is oil early recognized by the trainers
of both these bills that better roads bene-
fit every one who rides, drives or walks
over them, bring farmers nearer to mar
ket and to railroads, increase value of
taxable property by inviting the best
people to settle in town, are OF meal
culable benefit to the general public and
save wear and tear on vehicles.
PENNSYLVANIA IS WORK.
In Pennsylvania, where the Importance
of the matter has already been recog-
nized and provided for TO the extent OF
the levying of a special state tax for
road purposes, plan has been adopted,
which, while intermediate in itself, may
result in reaching the end aimed at even
more quickly.
In April last the legislature adopted q
concurrent resolution providing for the
appointment of three senator's by the
president of the senate, five representa-
tives by the speaker of the house, and
five competent citiZens by the governor,
as a commission to revise and consolidate
the laws relating to the construction and
improvement of the roads and public |
highways of the commonwealth, and to |
consider the adyisabilIty and practical |
bility of the state assisting in the con- |
structiou of the same, with power to |
prepare and present bill providing for |
the construction and maintenance of |
high-clas roads.
The commission was appointed Of men |
Of high standing in the state and noted |
for their practical ideas, and many of |
them for the broadcast possible experience |
special duties will bring before them,
and they are now in session at Harris
burg in the prosecution of their work.
RHODE ISLAND, MARYLAND AND OHIO.
In Maryland and Ohio as we'll, meas
ures are already being entered upon, and
your small peighbor on the east is max
ing most commendable efforts IN the
proper direction, under the impetus and
guidance Of some of the most prominent
men IN the state.
Not only such movements as this are
being pressed, but the educators of the
country are doing no small amount for
the furtheraaoe of the movement.
II vanderbilt University, Nashville,
Tenn. for instance, a course has lately
been established for the instruction, |
without charge, of class in road en-
gineering, to which is admitted one
highway official from every county n the
state. This course consists of lectures
and work upon the principles and science
of the proper location, construction, re-
construction and maintenance of roads
and thorough study OF systems of high
way ministration. ......s .-
A valuable lecture delivered at Brown
university, anu course OF Twelve lee |
lures now being delivered in the Lowell
Institute course in Boston are among the
notable efforts beng made by speakers
and educators to do their share in the
good work and to educate the public up
to an appreciation of what their rights
and necessities are in this direction.
CONNECTICUT IS NEEDS. l.
Surely it is time for the good state of
Connecticut to wheel into line in this
great movement. From personal ex-
perience we all know that her ROADS are
not so good as to remove from her the
necessity of "mending her ways"
To quote again from your good citizen
to whom have already referred, for he
seems to have come pretty close to the
glst of the matter ,-''How can we ex-
poet civil service reform in high places,
while with outrageously false pretenses
we are continually taking the peoples
money in these mud holes? It was settled
at Springfield last summer and with |