New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-12
UaaT SNAIL, UE DO WITH IT|

| Having complied with the 10llnal cOhdlllOhS
imposed by Congress and accepted the sum quo
TO New-Yor!l under The Direct-Tax Refundlng
| lou. tho Legislature must next determine what
| shall no done with the money. The amount to
| ho received from the United States Treasury Is
80 213.333 1t cannot come into the possession
If the State Immediately, for certain processes
Of accounting and auditing must be gone
through, and two or three other States may ne
ahead of us. But the delay will not be long
and it is the obvious duty OF the present Legs
| lat,re TO decree specific disposition OF the
fund. Ii is not enormous. as compared WIN
the resources of New ork, but it Is altoge'hef
| roo large TO be wasted. Whatever arguments
existed against the Iefundng law, 1t Is now
| incumbent on the Commonwealth to make
wise use Of the money.
| II j. obvicus that the money cannot be dis
tributed among the people, in the form OF cash.
| Int if ouoht TO be 50 spent as to secure an
eonitable distribution Of the benefits which 1t
will produce The subject is naturally under
discussion in every State, and numerous public
claims are attracting attention. At Albany V"o
n,onosi,ions have been made which are deserv-
ing of careful consideration, and thus far no
other has aroused much interest. Ex-senator
| Miller is conspicuous among those VINO desire 10
have the money used for the purchase oil Aul-
rondacl> lands, in iurhelance OF the state Iaik
project. In support OF his proposal there is
| much to be said. That employment OF the luna
| would. as we believe directly and permanently
promote the health and prosperity OF the Whole
! State and give no just cause OF complaint on
the part of any individual citizen 1t Is doubt
ful. however. If il would 50 appear 10 all In"
people. There is not, as there ought 10 be- d
universal recognition Of the part when thc
| forests sustain Ill the preservation OF inc gen
eral welfare and in districts OF The State remote
from the North Woods and out of sight OF the
first consequences of neglect and devastation
/ the people would be apt to complain that thcI
had been left ont of the distribution If the re-
funded taxes were spent upon an Adirondack
Park.
The alternative proposition which has already
obtained strong support at Albany Is that the
money shall be expended on public thorough
! fares by way Of beginning the systematic work
Of Improvement which a bill now before the
Legislature coItemplates. There i, 10 doubt III
any intelligent mind that the condition OF ON
roads, not only in New-lork but all over the
country. is productive Of enormous waste 1t
/ X lncdlculdblc III inc uOuDI' NtiNc ''"' ~ '"H
not be computed. and that its magnitude must
be acknowledged on a moments reflection. II
has been said that roads are Il test OF ciNlilM-
tion. 1t might be more accurate 10 say that
public sentiment respecting roads Is a test OF
/ civilization. In new countries the imperative
necessity for intcrcOmmunicaton exists long be-
fore the practical ability to make it easy and
commodious. But New-York has certainly
reached, in fact long ago passed, the stage at
which make,hilt highways are cXcuSable. And
our present cause for conGratulation and en-
couragemeni lies in the fact that we are coming
to have a general and clear comprehension OF
our delinquences in this respect.
A strong argument for spending our quota
Of the sum about to be discussed by the Ma
tonal Treasury upon this object is that so
used, its benefits would be directly felt and
recognized in every county and hamlet. The
comprehensive plan proposed provides for the
creation of two state roads in every county, in
tersecting at its most important centre of ac-
tivity. To cary out this undertaking com
pletely many millions will be required, but not
all at once. The process must necessarily be
slow but the sum soon to be available will
enable good beginning to be made. Once put
upon its feet and set in motion the great work
will make rapid progress, because it will Justify
itself by immediate and overwhelming proofs
Of it's utility.