Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1893-01-19
INcIANA's ROAD CONGRESS.
The General Assembly VIII BE Asked 20
Repeal the Present Road Laws.


The General Assembly VIII he Asked 20
Repeal the Present Road Laws.
The recent Indiana road congress was
3 credit 10 the state and as a FIRST step
toward much needed reform was en-
tirely success fnl. The attendance was
large and representative, the papers were
for The most part able and practical, and
Inc discussions were interesting and
profitable. If the latter were at times
somewhat discursiye and scattering this
was to be expected in the opening up of
q new subject. and il was noticeable that
he congress soon got back to the bust
ness in hand
1t had fitting conclusion in the for
nation of an organization TO be known
as the Indiana Highway improvement
association, and the election of officers
who will take care that the movement
so auspiciously begun is not allowed to
die through neglect or inaction, for it
must be understood that the work of
highway Improvement but inst begun,
and the organization has many years of
work before it in bringing public senti-
ment throughout the state up 10 the in
telligent and progressive standard Of
that which peimeated the convention.
II can be done. however. and the public
welfare demands that it shall be.
The report of the legislative commit
tee, which was finally adopted by the
convention, and which the general as
sembly viii be asked 70 enact, is a rad
teal departure from the present system.
In fact it proposes 10 repeal the present
road laws ia toto and 10 substitute an
entirely new system. II abolishes the
office of district supervisor, and also the
functions now exercised 10y township
trustees in connection with roads.
IN place of these the commissioners OF
each county are TO appoint county SUI
perintendent Of highways and one super
visor for each township. The super
visors are TO have charge Of the con-
struction Of roads in their respective
townships. subject to the control Of the
county superintendent, and the superin-
iendent and supervisors in each county,
in connection with the civil engineer of
any city in the county, are 10 constitute
a county board Of supervisors of high
ways. which shall meet once a year %
discuss road improvements and fix the
rate of taxation for road purposes.
Road taxes are TO be paid like other
taxes and not worked out, and are to h
fairly apporhoned between cities and
the country. These are the main fea-
lures of the system adopted by the con-
gress and which the legislature will be
asked TO enact. Whether it shall meet
The approval of the legislature or not,
The journal thinks il was wise for the
congress 10 agree on some definite plan.
The organization can now go before the
legislature with a request for definite
action. and If that body does not approve
of the plan proposed it can modify it or
adopt some other.
The main thing is TO have it impressed
on the public and the Legislature that
the present system is radically defective
and that a change is nnperatively de-
manded. Perhaps the worst feature of
the present law is that which allows
road taxes to be worked out, though
the district supervisor system is almost
equally bad in that it places the con-
struction of roads in the charge of per
sons who, as rule. are utterly meom-
petent No road law can be made eff
fective that does not provide for the pay
ment of the road tax in money and for
placing the control of roadbuilding in
competent hands.
One of the best results of the congress
was the distinct and emphatic recogni-
ton of this idea. On the whole, the peo-
pie of Indiana are TO be congratulated
on the successful Inauguration of move
ment which under proper management
may and probably will become an inn
portant factor in the progress and de-
of the ate.-Indianapolis
Journal