The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-07-14
THE FREE PARLIAMENT.
Our Highw ay Commission.


To the Editors Of the News:
1t Is somewhat encouraging to notice
that the joint special legislative commits
sion appOinte at the last January session
OF the General Assembly Ito examine
into the conditions OF the roads and pub
lie highways Of the State with q. view to
improvement in their construction and
maintenance, and to revise and CONSOLE
date the laws relating to the same, and to
report to the General Assembly by bill or
otherwise at its January session 1903 the
result OF their labors," and appropriating
81 900 for clerical aud transportation ex-
penses." That this commission has or
ganized mt length ON July H. and Is going
to make cers ain inquiries of town clerks,
the scope Of such inquiries 10 ,e deter
mined at another meeting next Tu .sday,
July 10.
1t is certainly to be hoped that these
few inquiries are hereby preliminary
to thorough investigation of tue subject
In everv detail aud to public hearings
from time to time In every town (and
city, in the State, SO far that the people
may have an opportunity tn be heard In
their earnest efforts To secure relief from
the evils and expenses Of poor highways,
Rhode IsIaad' OF course, when the
places and dates of hearings are fixed,
the courtesy will be extended to
the public of informing them fully
q reasonable time in advance of their op-
portuuities to be heard in this matter. 1t
is certainly fair assumption that the ac-
ceptancs by the gentlemen OF their posi-
tions upon this commission indicated an
entire willingness TO hear aud study the
subject as much, and not as little, as
possible Some few deluded politicians
have wrongly imagined that there was
not so very much in this agitation for
good roads because its active DISCUSSION
ia nfst,sa cn "A mt
it is a trivial matter is entirely erroneous,
and the members OF the commission
should reccllect that lately the matter
has not been pressed for legislation
because of the belief that the commission
would make . thorough and pubic ex-
animation, and incidentally, ratified their
own bones over the rough higways that
their fellow citizens are compelled to
travel, outside of q few favored or pro-
gressive localities, 1t has been hinted
that at least one member OF this conmis-
sion has congressional ambitions IL
might be we'll Tor him to remember that
such ambition can never be realized
either In presidential or any other year
unless he publicly and squarely aud fully
places himself upon record in favor of
the road reforms that the people are de-
manding
There is much In recent literature7,,to
of road building and repair-that would
helm the com mission and others who are
interested in the subject; mention might
be made of large volume, entitled,
"Pavements aud Roads" published by
the Enginccring and ButIitng Record
(book department), ga Pearl street. New
York, price Is; also. Streets and High
ways ia Foreign Countries" special con
sular report, to be obtained free upon ap-
plication To the Secretary Of State, Wash
iugton, ID. c.; Essays on Roadmaking
and Maintenance and Road Laws" pub
lished by Henry Carey, Baird IL Co, $40
Walnut street, Philadelphia. price e., aud
the monthly magazine, Good Roads, /"
published by tho League Roads Improve
ment bureau, Potter Building, New
York. price % cents n copy and e year
Some fruitful subjects for discussion
and study by the commission would be
the comparative expense OF good and poor
roads for period, for example. of twenty
wears, the losses In money. from poor
roads, tho cost OF good roads kept In con-
slant repair. the burden OF numerous
the folly of working out or standing
outn road taxes, as Is now sometimes
practised. the proportions Of widths
ths s-eenpafatlve9 lengths of front
and rear axiss, drainage and quail
ties OF road materials, the dissemination
of correct information aud how accom-
piishrd, and " by State bureau or ON
cial, the interdependence of different com
munities by the adjustment through the
State. commission or an official, OF n
system OF the principal roads kept con-
stantiy in good repair, and the manner
and tims Of the adoption of these princi-
Piles. BATTER ROADS.