The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-02-16
Road Convention

Austin was last week hOnored with
a Wait of county judges and commits
sioners from large numter of coun-
ties in all sections Of the state. They
net to discuss the road problem, and
if possible devise some scheme for the
improvement of our county roads. In
the main, those present were alive 10
the necessity OF road improvement,
and the total inadequacy OF cur pres
ent road laws. say mainly, tor there
were q few who seemed to think that
our roads were not so very bad atler
all-nO worse, at least, than those In
other states, and some thought our
road law very near perfection, so 'af
that all needed to make it so was an
extension of the time now called tor
from the road hands. Think of such
men being county judges or commits
siOners.
The law as IL now stands calls Tor
fl g DAYS road service, and If it were
faithfully rendeied under competent
supervision our roads would not be III
their present deplOrable condition.
But | venture to say that road hands
on an average don't go out in response
to orders more than TWO day iD the
year, AMI then don't put in an honest
days WORK. What then would be the
use OF increasing the time Of service
frOGa five to ten days per annum when
they are now not called upon for
more than two tiiths of
what the law allows, and
then, not compelled to do more than
one tenth of the labor they would
demand were they employers instead
of unwilling, compulsory employees?
Ii is satisfactory to know that the
moss backs were in hopeless minori-
alive to tie necessity for radical
change. No tinkering up of the pres.
ent road law could be of any use. 1t
is rotten and beyond the possibility of
repair / have not seen the bill now
before the house, but its main features
as reported through the press, show
that its author understands the posi-
ton, and aims at a thorough ana eft.
fective piece of legislation. The bill
was endorsed by the convention after
considerable discussion on one point,
viz: the compulsory appointment OF u
qualified civil engineer to lay Oft and
superintend the construction of county
roads. 1t was generally thought that
such appointment should be optional
and not compulsory. think the OPP
tiOnsts had the best of the argument.
Ii compulsory, some counties would
De saddled with the cost of an officer
that could we'll be spared, as the tOpo.
graphy and geological formation Of
their land might be such as not to
call for engineering skill, but just
good horse sense on the part Of com.
pelent road OVerseer, under the adj
vice OF the county surveyor. In many
counties Il thoroughly qualified civil
engineer would be indispensable, ana
his salary easily saved in the COST OF
road construction and its efficiency.
Such an officer, however, should be
appointive and not cit ctive, as "the
people" are not competent to discrimi-
nate between competent and incom-
petent engineers,a and will always vote
tor candidate because he belongs to
their party. II some one would graft
an amendment to Mr. Greetings bill,
providing tor the election of competent
county commissioners and the punish.
ment of incompetent ones, and have
it made law, we would then be on
fair way TO the solution of the road
problem