Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-02-04
ROADS OR TRAILS ?

There is not an utter lack of gentle
men in Fairhaven who delight in
roasting" the HERALD whenever it
fails to agree with their ideas and lend
its influence in furtherance of their pet
projects. True, they are not extensive
contributors to the treasury Of the paper,
as they seldom or never advertise. but
some of them do subscribe for it and
pay for it, others subscribe for it and
don't pay for it, and others still borrow
it from their neighbors "just to see
what the blamed thing has TO say"
Just now some of these gentlemen are
indignant because the paper does not
unqualifedly endorse the road bonding
proposition submitted by the county
commissioners, and because it does not
refuse to publish communications in
opposition to the plan proposed. One
gentleman, who is good friend and
patron of the HERALD, took the editor
to task yesterday for opposing roads. "
He was asked if he had read carefully
the criticisms offered by the paper in
an editorial published January %. He
said he had not, whereupon the
substance Of the papers OBJ
jections were stated to him, and,
strange as it may seem, he agreed with
every one of them, although still be-
lieving that it would be best to vote the
bonds and trust to the honesty and dis
erection of the commissioners to insure
the wise expenditure of the money.
to create an impression that the HER
AID has changed front" on the road
question are wholly in error, and we
challenge them to quote single pas
sage from any editorial on the subject
in support of their statements. Both
the HERALD and the WORLD have
contained many columns in reference
to the importance of the construction
of an improved system of public high
ways, and these articles have evidently
led our present critics to believe that
we would heartily supportsany PROPOSE
ton which might be submitted by the
commissioners. The assumption is I'M
warranted. Our objections have been
clearly stated, but for the benefit of
those who may not have noted them
we repeat them here, quoting from the
editorial of January %, above referred
to:
''In the first place, If the proposition
receives the three-fifths majority reaui-
site to authorize the proposed bond issue.
the entire amount of 100000 will he i'm
medlately available as soon as the bonds
can be sold. and IL can be expended en-
tirely in the discretion Of the commission
ers, subject only 10 the general and some
what vague restrictions specified in the
, Notice of election. This is too large a
sum TO place at one time in the hands OF
any three men for expenditure in work oil
such vast Importance, which must, at
. first, be largely experimental in charac-
tier. The HERALD does not desire to cast
Ithe slightest reflection either upon the
Integrity or the ability Of the commits
sioners. 1t simply emphasizes its pre-
viously expressed opinion that while an
ample sum should be authorized at one
election it should be made available only
in amounts not to exceed 500, 600 per year,
and that the commissioners should be
debarred from letting contracts aggregat-
ing a larger sum in single year. One
years experience would teach much and
Anight serve to prevent repetition of
costly mistakes. Undue haste in such
snatters almost inevitably result in waste.
81 The notice Is lacking in another very
Important particular, and that is the
lure to specify the width OF any or all
the proposed roads Here again 1t IS
\ ident that the commissioners wish to
rcise their discretion. In our opinion
important public highway In this
ty should be less than 60 feet in
n. II is an inexcusable waste of