Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-01-05
CASH MUST BE PAID
Under the New Road Improvement
Bill by the Taxpayer.
NO WORKING OUT ROAD TAXES.
The Bill Ready for the Final Action of the
Commission.
THE COUNTRY MEMBERS ARE FEARED.
no WORKING OUT ROAD TAXES.
THE COUNTRY MEMBERS ARE FEARED.
lFRoM A STAFF CORRESPONDENT


HARRISBURG, Jan. 4.-From members
of the State Road Commission learn that
some important changes have been made bv
the subcommittee IN the Road Improve
ment bill, which they are about submit
ting to the Commission for final action.
The bill, as now definitely decided upon by
the subcommittee, wholly abolishes the
system of working out road taxes" 1t
provides that every farm owner must pay
his road taxes in cash. II the farmer feels
that that is too great financial drain on
him, or if he sill has idle time on his hands
which be believes he could just as well put
in on the roads, then a course is left open to
him by this proposed new law which might
be regarded as the equivalent of working
out his taxes.
He may give notice to the County Road
Engineer that he wishes to work on the
roads. The engineer at the proper time
notifies him where to report for work, and
then he works upon the roads just as any
other person who is employed as laborer
ior that work. He will be paid wages for
each days work, entirely independent of
the amount of property he owns, or the
amount of his assessment But his own
road tax he must pay in cash, and he is
simply given this opportunity to earn the
money back. In other words, the authori-
ties in employing labor to repair roads must
give the farmers of the township preference.
County Engineers Provided For.
The proposed law also provides for the ap-
pointment OF a civil engineer in each county
10 have general charge of the work on roads.
He shall be paid salary, and he can only
secure the place after passing thorough
examination as to his fitness. These exami-
nations shall be conducted by board, which
may possibly be formed of members of the
State administration at Harrisburg.
In distributing State aid the township is
made the unit, and the money appropriated
by the State for road building will be dis
tributed like the school funds are If
township raises by local taxation, say S., 900
for roads, then the State will give to that
township in proportion. For a long time
the subcommittee considered the idea OF
building mile of permanent roadway for
every mile built by the township, but at
last this has been rejected as falling short of
The mark. A township might never build
mile Of permanent road, and thus the good
work would never be started, though the
State was willing to aid. By the plan now
proposed the State aid will be at once turned
to practical use, because taxes will, of
course, be assessed and collected every year
in townships. The members think the pro
rata plan makes it a fair distribution.
What money the State gives township
must however, be expended on building a
permanent road, not in isolated sections, but
continuously adding to it each year.
Not Sure of Adoption.
! While the above is an outline of the bill
roughly drafted by toe subcommittee. it is
not sure at all that the general commission
will adopt it when it is reported to it The
subcommittee is minority of the whole
commission, and the majority has full
privilege to amend the work of the minority
in this case. The SUBJ committee will hardly
call the commission together 70 receiv- the
report until the middle of the month, be-
cause they are awaiting the outcome of a
popular road improvement movement in
Philadelphia. In that city there is re-
markable sentiment for a permanent i'm
provement of rural highways all through
the State. A committee has been appointed
by the association, which has its head
quarters there, TO draw up bill for pre-
sentation to the State Legislature this
winter.
This committee is composed of the ablest
men in PENNSYLVANIA in that particular line,
They are Hon. Wayne McVeigh, ex-Attor-
ney General; A. j. Cassatt, the railroad
magnate; John c. Bullitt, the Quaker City
millionaire; Prot. Lewis Haupt, the eminent
economist fthe University of Pennsylvania;
W. H. Rhann, an expert in civil engineer
ing matters. When the State Road Com
mission finally sends its bill through the
Governor to the Legislature, its interests
will be championed in the Senate by Senator
Amos Mylin, OF Lancaster county, while
Hon. j. II. Griffith, of Mexican county, and
DIR. W. h. Mccullough, of Allegheny
county, will have charge of it in the House
of Representatives.
Afraid of the Country Members.
The Commission realizes that the pro-
verbal economy OF the country members in
the Legislature will be one OF the principal
obstacles their bill will encounter They
are, therefore, disposed to trust to the press
OF the State to educate the people to the con-
victiOn that although expensive at first.
good roads in the end cut down taxation.
As soon as the bill is approved by the whole
Commission, no matter what form it finally
takes. printed copies OF it will be mailed bv
the Secretary to every daily and weekly
newspaper in Pennsylvania, with the re-
quest that it be reprinted by them in full,
it is believed that there is a powerful
undercurrent throughout the State for some
better system of improving the public high
ways, and it is the desire to turn this wide
spread sentiment to some account by remoy-
ing false impressions. The County Road
Exploring Expedition of THE DISPATCH
last spring brought out in strong light the
hearty favor with which the rural press
everywhere advocate road reform. The time
for action has now arrived, and in no legis-
lation to be introduced at Harrisburg this
winter will the power of united press be
so potent as in this.s LIE. SToFIEL.
MORE Pilsner beer is sold each year by
the Iron City Brewing Company, Order by