The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1890-12-19
The New Road Law.

Mr.. l.. T.. Stofiel of the Pittsburg
Dispatch, writes to hIs paper the fol-
lowing concerning the work Of the
road commission
The bill submitted by the committee
to the commission for ratification or
amendment will provide for q plan like
this In every township three road
commissioners shall be elected by the
people. They will hold relatively the
same position to the people as the
School Directors, honorary rather than
political or pecuniary. These commis>
sioners will appoint road masters, as
many as they think 6t. to act as bosses
over the persons working on the roads.
The master will be paid wages for each
day he works, and be will be held
strictly accountable for the duty as
signed him.
Il will be required that farmers shall
notify the commissioners not later than
April Is Of each year whether they de-
sire to work out the amount OF their
road tax. II SO, the road masters will
notify them individually OF the exact
day and place where they must report
for work. If they are not there at the
appointed time the master must prompt
Iy hire somebody else and notify the
commissioners, who will collect the
full cash tax from the absentee. Or
they will do the same il he does work
yet does not perform the work In q
proper manner.
In the foregoing provisions the COM
mittee believes it has practically abol-
ished the system OF "working out
proper control. Under the present ar
rangement q farmer works out his tax
in many communities just wheu and
where he chooses. He takes the time
in which he has nothing on his farm to
do. Ha selects the easiest parts OF
roads to repair. He invariably works
under q road supervisor who wac elect
ed through his influence, is afraid to In.
sist upon honest toll and sits down
with the farmer in the general traffc OF
fence corner narratives.
All is changed by the system pro-
posed. Work will now be done on the
roads in the best season for road work.
The farmer will be compelled to drop
his farm work at once and report for
load work just like labOrer. Ii he
does OF do 50 promptly. he loses the
privilege. The result of this will be
that more farmers will pay the tax than
work it, because they cannot leave their
farms at certain times. Where they
do work out taxes, they will be under
boss, who is simply paid 30 much per
Gay for conscientious bossiDg, and who
is liable to be bounced on the discovery
Of any bad patch of road by the COM
missIoners, who appoints him as q
school board appoints and dismisses q
teacher.
The matter Of local taxes and State
aid is handled In this way. A treasurer
who may be either one Oh the road
commissioners or u person appointed by
them in each township. shall receive
all taxes levied for roads, and set aside
q certain portion of them each year for
permanent improvements OF the roads
in that township. The road commits.
sioners shall decide In each township
just what sort of material will make
permanent road there.
When 1t appears that township has
built mile Of permanently improved
road with some form OF stone or gravel
foundation and covering which shall be
approved by the county engineer, then
the county must build an additional
mile Of permanent road in the township
and the State build q third mile. The
State need not wait for the county, but
the county and State stand pledged for
ships own building. The County Com>
missioners will grant warrant on the
County Treasurer to the township off,
GERS to build the second mile.
In this way the State aid Is simply
put up as an inducement and encour-
sgement to permanent road improve
ment among the farmers themselves.
and yet it is given In q most substantial
way. The money Is only appropriated
where good roads have been made. II
none are made then the money will not
60 rapidly. At the same time the road
baildiDg itself is left in the hands OF the
township people, not q State political
machine.
The road commission fixes no definite
amount of a general read appropria-
tion. The members believe that under
the new revenue bill there will be plen-
ty OF money in tbs State Treasury foI
this laudible object. Somebody has
already asked why could not the
| States surplus, instead of lying all ovsI
the State In q banking, and politi-
cal sinking fund be used for the nu-
cleus OF road building fund ?"