New-York tribune., 1896-10-25
.vy1OI1s FOR GOOD ROADS.
POTTER CONFIDENT OF sECUR.
,NG NEEDED LEGISLATION.

urrrIoN--A STATE HIGHWAY COM
FavcREp-eRowING sENTI-
.>.r FOR IMPROVED HIGHWAYS.
.oreden, that we are going to nave some
roads legislation in TINS s'a'e inc coming
winter potter in opening a conversation
SO sara , 80. .,,h a representative Of The Trib
en- the Iocal office OF the League of American
une al Wy - Ihe Vanderbilt Building. Mr. Potter
Vheei' oon hut he glad to improve the
Is o ,,v 70 sc, forth his views or this I'M
oppo'.. matter through The Tribune.
por'a ,bose who know him the wonder Is now
Ano. end the time TO do all he does His Ia"
he ca" ,,oans him occupied through the working
practice -v A. aav Then about O'Clock In the
hours u -. ,eayes the tenth floor of the Potter
afernoO Gov the eighth hoor Of the Vanderbilt
Buie.s and devotes himself to League matters
bu""' ,ne else can attend 10. His evenings 100
tha' ." ~. are applied to cycling a!alTs ana ms
as .u'., irfreouently cut short on account OF
siSep .he he IS still unable to keep abreast with
'ne" ring. that press for settlement
sii VI. he supposed that Mr.. PotteT's position as
u h'-s ~ the New-York division OF the l. A.
en'e' for his interest in the question oi road
\" "0t II would be nearer the truth 10 say
nt.~est in good roads was the reason why
''A' 49,. elected as the official head OF the League
he W." S.ota Mr. Potter has made caretui study
u VI" 80 for wears He conducted TOT 'ithe
o. IT, called Good Roads" and has puoiisheo
H,,ber Of books and pamphie'S op 'iie suo1eo.
ho'" ,,Arn being The Gospel of GOOD Roads
a"o"e poads" and Good Maeadam ROADS
'",.,o,e m legislation for road improvement
ms r~.+o-e those of an expert ana moreover.
-. ,s.e,v beer in consultation Win representa-
a, The farmers Of the state IN reference 10
u'e' ,.,,on ', NJ q bill which the Legislature OF
50, will be asked 10 pass
WHAT wHEELMEN WILL DO.
.o,osent." said Mr Potter, that we are
.,,re 10 have some good ROADS iss'Sia'o" |" |i'iS
s.a,s N. coming winter. The wheenen are gong
" go, This me- tier for all they are WORTH ana tney
.rs powerfu organization Almost eVe'yoooy
Las. wheel now. and almost everybody Is 'h'er-
sa 70 ,r,nrovinc the roads. There have been sew
s',' ~, to get bills on this subject through
sA' sesia.ure heretofore, but none OF tAen nave
tns @ i.Tmscossaed Several years ago bill was ntro-
Grange eSsTa County. and came yery ne@r passing;
Ths Governors for number OF years have made
s,rons recon nen6ations on me sunJec..
Tn his rst message the beginning Of last year
eovernor Morton suggested that IN, me t LusSiatuae
m.gn, ,bo National and State authorities on the
subject and ACQUIRE all avail anie az 70
pgoaa pSt roads eonsjruc;,d on wise end economical
principles throughout tAe STATE In % IN
a.sembly 10 make thorough investlsaiion Of ne
road question Air. Hrb:e now netaoer ol ,ns
ssns's. "aS HaSc Schoensn, Armstrong Vacheron,
Krenrich staey sns TooI cbirsts Kew
rnrpnsrr,c,,f and Pennsylvania Their report was
Sresen,ed 10 the Assembly last January
THEIR HANDS FULL LAST WINTER
u-. contains large amount Of valuable informa'
.on-au that is needt3 rs basis ior ieg;slf'uon-
With the report BILL was submitted. pfoVloiAe lot
STATE FIiehway Commission bu, /: faileo 10 pass.
:, The course o. the session number OF amend
va. that nothing a; al ACCOMPLISHED As for
.he vvIas',nen OF me State. they had their hands
.ui ir urging the passage ot The RAJ road b bagssse
raatter being out OF the way-athougn some iur-
ther legislation will pc nseoso 10 mi MIR .ba t'e con,ne
winter concentrate their efforts OF good roaos pii
before he beginning Of the session Il IS probable
rhst Il will oe iru oduced in the Senate by Mr. Hlp-
ssns pie sni ia: y M ss % ATsrong = vii ii be re-eeced FOR
suppose there IS hitle doubt on ihet point; mere
M S - @ ess sdpsss Pessy sy men m nSys Who we're SS G es
Of the Special Roads Committee o. 49,;
There are welcome signs O! change N tee sst,,
signs the recent issue Of good roads number
Of The Farmers Union League advocate pup.
ilshed in Albany. AS you know. have lateiy been
IN conference on mis- matter with The LeEislstVe
Committee o. the State Grange. al syracuse ~nerc
General Roy Stone and z G. Harrison. OF the Ma
tional Government GOOD Roads Bureau; Mr: Har,
state addressing audiences on this subject and stir
-!ag up public sentiment In favor Q! better Toaos
BILL TO BE PREPARED
The outcome Of the conference at Syracuse was
che appointment OF a committee. consisting OF JON
athan Wyckof. Of Onondaga County, formerly
member Of the Assembly. and myself. 10 prepare
the outlines Of BILL which Will be submitted 70
the various oranges OF the State for their action.
After its approval with this outline As basis
biz will be dnfted for presentation TO the Legsia
ture. ..
my own ID a on the subject is that we should
have In this State Highway Commission. sltnl'aI
70 the one in Massachusetts which should have
general control over road lrr rproverncnt and see
that consistent plan Is carried cut Wherever tne
plan would be unsatisfactory and would lead TO the
adoption o. as many plans as there are counties III
the STATE The Disadvantages OF, such a plan can
and made an extensive tour on nv whsel through
looked carefully into the methods OF road cons'ruc-
pso,csrapRs @ a In England the s roads is are gcod Of
course--tar ahead q ours-out hey do not eoi',-
separae surveyor for each county, each one has
Ms own plan; hence there IS a lack of uniformity
ns sysem for the entire % counry and il is con
s.slen,y carried out In the government roads, the
Departmental roads and TIE v!c!nal roads. The ad-
vantages are obvious.
A COMMISSION FOR THE STATE.
"T. is such system that ought to BE- adopted IN
ths State. with a State Highway Commission IN
control. The members Of the Commission should
be selected by the Governor. and TO AXE the entire
matter out Of politics, they should hold ONCE Until
rhsy resign are removed for cause. The Safe
can afford TO be liberal In making appropriations
lor road Improvement. There is no State debt, anc
mere Is no other work more important than this
Why should not the ate be as liberal In this mat
Ter as In mnrnving the canals, which $9.COCD
IS 70 be expended In the next few years? do not
man that any one should ask for road apnro-
pation OF that amount al once, but liberal pollcy
Certainly oueh; 10 be adopted. The payment OF
bonds issued for this purpose may properly be ex-
lane ~ fnr lv7f
will be the chic! benehciaries from the good roads
row ts!lt, and may rightly be called 10 help pay
:o- thern
The growth Of sentiment In favor OF good roads
wherever they have been established Is remarkable
Iass year in Ne sachusetts the Highway Comrnis
sloners mad an appropriation OF N0oGno :h!s year
Ills NeeWo Yet, three or four years ago. when the
law creating the Commission was proposed there
vas decided opposition 10 II. especially on The parr
f the farmers. ] told that when the question