New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-16
RITTER ROADS FOR NEW-IORh.

Some distinguished PenHsSiNanIdhS nave Ic
GENTLY been agitating for better country roadS
in their State, and have so well succeeded III
awakening public interest in their plans ana
recommendations that already notable reforms
bava been accomplished. Recently they offered
sa,ios of prizes for essays on the general sub
ioct Of roadbmlding and they have now rem
derod q service of National value BY pub
fishing in an attractive book some OF tho most
moritorious of the articles submitted IN com
petition for their prizes. When 1t is cohSifefcd
that the condition Of the country ROADS III alHloSO
every State in the Union is simply deplora"c'
and that this is mainly due TO the general lgno-
rance Of the people on the subject OF read build
inc and maintenance we are impclled 10 express
,bn hone that this admirably suggestive book
will get into wide circulation. II is TO be highly
nroised as a clear and practical statement by
competent experts OF just what every country
man ought to know. 1t is detailed and thor
o1rb. and its careful study cannot fail to DO "A
vast amount Of good.
The need OF popular education in this state is
immense We have never had good roads, ana
to-day they are AZ bad as can be. IT is shame
ful that the Legislature has given such scant
and rcsutless attention TO subject than when
there is none more vitality important, not merely
to the comfort but to the daily bread OF every
citizen. The prosperity OF the FARMERS ana me
country towns, which, OF course is Indispensable
TO the prosperity of the cities, depends on com
municaton far more than on anything else. The
loss in actual earnings 70 the People OF New
York by reason of the condition Of their roads,
always bad, and often in every county i'm
Il, ,.,Ip Al
enormous. And yet the Legislature never finds
time to deal with the matter. In the eternal
wrangleS Of party politics and the eternal
scramble for local favors, great measures OF
general reform and progress have small cimnee.
We are bound to say, in justice to Governor
Hill. that he has done his part to bring about
better things faithfully. In every recent mes
sage he has urged action as strongly rs possible,
and in his last he formulated, upon the adj
vice of excellent engineers, plan that strikes
us as sure to be efficient and as entirely reason
able from the point Of view of State duty and
responsibility 1t ought not to be necessary TO
take time arguing that road building and main
tenancc are not purely OF local concern. The
travel and trade going over them are not con-
fined in the interests they serve TO localities.
II is as much the States duty to foster inter
comfy communication us il Is the Nations to
regulate and promote interstate oommunCa-
ton. Nor should it be difficult to draw the line
at which State obligation may reasonably he
thought to end and county and town obligation
70 begin. The Governor has had no difficulty
in drawing such a line and we think he has
drawn it clearly and well. His plan. to use his
own words involves the construction " at State
cypense and under State supervision Of two
highways running tansvefSey through each
county. intersecting at about the middle of the
county or at its principal place and 50 connect
ed AS to form network OF well-built roads
tbrouch the State" This certainly is as little
as the State ought 90 do, and it is enough. The
local advantages TO every town ship in the i'm
movement Of its own roads that would follow
the condition Of things created by such action
on the states part would forever settle the road
question. As to the precise direction Of these
state roads, we don't suppose the Governor
means TO be taken literally. The topography
of the counties and the situation of their prin-
cpal towns would have to be everywhere con-
sidcled. The expense would, OF course, he
great. but the State is practically without debt
lis tax-rate is down b loW-water mark. and a
safer moment could never come for the creation
of such bonded obligation as would be neces-
sary to carry along the work. We trust the
Legislature will promptly act uDon the Gov.