The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1893-02-04
lNolANA's ROAD CONGRESS.

The General Assembly VIII BE Asked t.
Repeal the Present Road Laws.
The recent Indiana road congress was
. credit to the state and as a first step
toward q much needed reform was en-
tirely successful. The attendance was
large and representative, the papers were
for the most part able and practical, and
the discussions were interesting and
profitable. II the latter were at times
somewhat discursive and scattering this
was to be expected in the opening up Of
. new subject, and it was noticeable that
the congress o o got back to the bust
ness in hand.
1t had q 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 is but just begun,
and the organization has many years Of
work before it in bringing public senti-
ment throughout the state up to the in
telligent and progressive standard Of
that which permeated the convention.
1t can be done, however, and the public
welfare demands hat 1t shall be.
The report Of the legislative commit
tee, which was finally adopted by the
convention, and which the general as
sembly will be asked to enact, is a rad
ical departure from the present system.
In fact it proposes to repeal the present
road laws in toto and to substitute an
entirely new system. It abolishes the
Office of district supervisor, and also the
functions now exercised by township
| trustees in connection with roads.
In place of these the commissioners OF
each county are to appoint a county su
perintendent Of highways and one super
| visor for each township. The super
visors are to have charge of ,ne con
struction Of roads in their respective
townships, subject to the control Of thu
county superintendent, and the superin
tendent and supervisors In each county
in connection with the civil engineer o
any city In the county, are to constitute
a county board of supervisors of high
ways, which shall meet once a year t,
discuss road improvements and fix tn
rate Of taxation for road purposes.
Road taxes are to be paid like othe
taxes and not worked out, and are to b,
fairly apportioned between cities an,
the country. These are the main fea
lures Of the system adopted by the con
gress and which the legislature will b
asked to enact. Whether it shall NEE
the approval of the legislature or not
The Journal thinks it was wise for tn
congress to agree on ON definite plan
The organization can now go before III
legislature with a request for delinit
action, and if that body does not approx
Of the plan proposed it can modify it O
adopt some other.
The main thing is to have it impresse
on the public and the legislature tina
the present system is radically defectiv
and that a change is im%peratively d,
manded. Perhaps the worst feature {
the present law Is that which allow
road taxes to be worked out, thong
the district supervisor system is almo.
equally bad in that it places the COZ
~struction Of roads in the charge of pc
som who, as a rule, are utterly incon
, petent. No road law can be made e
feetive that does not provide for the pa.
ment Of the road tax in money and fl
oI placing the control of roadbuilding
] competent hands.
One Of the best results of the congre
was the distinct and emphatic recogn
ton Of this idea. On the whole, the pc
pie Of Indiana are to be congratulate
on the successful Inauguration of a NOV
ment which under proper managemel
may and probably will become an il
portant factor in the progress and d
velopment Of the state. -Indianapol
Journal.