The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-03-13
FINAL FOR GOOD ROADS
CHAIRMAN MACDONALD or THE
HLGRWAY CONFUSION TALKS.

sentiment In Favor of Good Roads Move
ment Has Come to stay-The Commits
sion Has Acted as One Man-strong Plea
for the Retention of the Commission
Connecticut Should Press Onward.
AT the final hearing given on Thurs
Gay by the committee on roads, rivers
ana bridges on the good roads" bill
the last speaker was James II. Macdon-
ala OF this city, who has been chairman
OF the highway commission since it's
organization, and who has been in
sreat measure responsible for the good
work and the success that has attended
the efforts of the commission.
Mr. Macdonald said the commission
LOOK no exception to the criticisms Of
Tered to their work The subject has
assumed q wide range There is no
question but that Connecticut wants
good roads. He did not believe that
any action of the committee or of the
legislature could destroy the sentiment
or the state for good roads If the law
has any shortcomings the commission
is to find out how it can be strengthen
ed, The highway commissioners were
loath to appear before the committee.
In the, main the commission has found
the law good one. Although the COM
mission is composed of three men they
nave been as one man. They have been
through the state and they know what
the people want. They do not mean to
burden the poor towns which are strug-
Cling to preserve their existence. The
commission voted unanimously that if
they didn't build but one mile of road
that mile would be a good one. They
haven't had the eye single to the SO
day. The purpose of the trainers of
the law was to improve the roads be-
tween towns. But the law didn't state
that The commissioners We're Obliged
TO conform to the decision of the local
authorities in regard to the locating of
the Improvement in the road He
thought the law ought to be changed
\ In that respect. He believed the COM
missioners ought to have the power to
say where the improvement shall be
made. He believed in giving the town
of the towns would never be abridged
The appropriation has been limited An
improper method of construction has
been in vogue all over the state It is
good fault to say that the commits
sioners have made splendid roads They
would profit by the mistakes that have
been made. They have laid the cheap
est roads in the United States He has
tried to give his duties as chairman Of
the commission a devotion which he
gives to all his duties He would not
take it unkindly if the legislature voted
him out of office. If he stood in the
way of the good roads movement he
asked to be legislated out of office The
commissioners have been at work in the
capitol at night time when nothing was
heard but the scratching of their pens
! The three commissioners had divided
the state between them. They did not
want a man in office who was always
watching the hands of the clock to stop
work. They wanted three men who
could be trusted. IF the present com
mission did not give satisfaction, leg
islate them out of office, and appoint
three other men. What they want is
.
want three commissioners because in
the multiplicity of counsel there is wis
dom. The best part of the commission
is the educational feature The large
cities pay one half of a county tax.
He believed in a county tax. In re-
gard to placing the matter of making
the roads in the hands of the selectmen
he said there are seectmen who dom t
get over 80 cents a day To put the Sc
lectmen over great movement like
that Of good roads would be a mis-
take. 1t is surprising how little the Sc
lectmen know about the making of
roads. Selectmen hail with pleasure
the visit of the highway commissioner.
He has found bright and capable Sc
lectmen. but they are not found in all
the towns. He believed that all the
towns would eventually come into the
movement Don't make the roads of
the state a political hack. A political
hack is not a desirable thing to have,
whether on feet or on wheels. Select
men would build their political fences,
instead of roads. Thank God the re-
publican party is In control of the state,
and he hoped nothing would be done to
give the common enemy an argument
to get control of the state. He has
known towns to be divided socially and
politically on account of the location of
improvements in roads.