The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1891-05-20
THE ROAD BILL VETOED.


Governor Pattison yesterday sent to the
Senate bis veto Of what Is commonly known
as the Road bill He said
'sThe objections to this measure seem 10
me to be manifold. Its purposes are so nu-
nerous and diverse as to expose it to the
constitutional objection Of containing more
than one subject Whatever popular de
rnand exists for the enactment Of legislation
on the subject Of roads and road making
will certainly not be satisfied with the pro-
visions Of this bill If they are TO be made
effective at all, they could be made so only
by the liberal appropriation Of State moneys,
for which neither this bill, nor any other
legislation as yet enacted, has made provis-
ion. Even If such grant were made, i; is
very doubtful whether the plan of distribu-
ton proposed By this bill wonld be equit-
able, satisfactory or Constitutional. The
basis Of distribution which 1t proposes is the
amount of road taxes collected and expend-
ed by each township for road purposes dur
ing the preceding year. This would put it
entirely within the power Of rich and popu-
lous rural districts, such, for example, as
adjoin large cities or boroughs, to receive a
large share of the States bounty, which
would be applied where, perhaps, it was
least needed for the purpose Of general road
improvement, while remote, sparsely settled
and comparatively poor districts, where road
improvements were most desired, would re-
ceive little or comparatively nothing.
Moreover the policy and propriety of the
grant of State moneys raised by general tax
alton to particular districts or communities,
are extremely doubtful, if not absolutely
forbidden by the spirit Of the constitutional
provisions declaring that there shall be no
appropriations for benevolent purposes 10
any community, and that the Common
wealth shall not assume the debt of any
city, county, borough or township. The
present enactment proposes to distribute to
some of the districts Of the State, for pure
ly local purpose-that of road making
moneys which have been raised by taxation
upon all the citizens of the State. The roads
of townships only are to be constructed and
repaired BY the aid Of State moneys, while
those of municipalities are TO be provided
for by local taxation. This is a discrirni-
nation wholly unwarrsnied by the Consti-
tuition.
Furthermore, ! cannot ignore the fact
that this bill passed the House of Represen-
tatives by a bare constitutional majority
That majority, it is notorious, was only Sc
cured with great difficulty, and | violate no
confidence in saying that since its passage in
the one branch Of the General Assembly
nsmber of members, whose votes were re-
quired to make that majority, have COM
municated TO me their opposition to and
protest against the bill in its present form
OF the l03 members who comprised this ma
jority, barely one-ffth represent districts
affected by the bill. It was imposed upon
the communities affected by it against the
voter aud protest Of a large proportion of
their represenuvss.
Finally, if there were no other objections
/ to this bill, a sufficient one would be afford
ed by the fact that there are at present special
and local road laws to the number of 700,
governing as many townships of the State.
If the present bill is TO have any efficiency
it must result from its operation as general
road law, binding al least on all the town
ships Of the State. The section which pro-
poses to repeal all special and local laws
! inconsistent with it is not sufficient for that
purpose, according TO the decisions of our
Supreme Court. 1t they remain, as they
certainly will under the bill In its present
form, it will utterly fail as a measure to Sc
cure uniformity of road law. Other reasons
forcibly suggest themselves for disapproval
of this measure, but l deem those which
have set forth as ample to justify veto Of
the BILL