New-York tribune., 1899-12-31
SLOW. BUT SURE.

Referring few days ago to good roads as one
feature of General Woods original scheme of
improvements in Cuba said that compara-
lively little was being done in this State for the
betterment Of It's highways, but that there were.
nevertheless. indications of increasing interest
In the meagre operations carried on under the
law passed in 1893. In the summary Of the
State Engineer and Surveyors report which has
lust been given out for publication find ad-
ditonal information on this point, confirming
both the statement and the forecast made in
these columns. Mr. Bond cites, as we did, Mas
sachusetts and New-Jersey as examples Of judi
cious lberality in the treatment of matter Of
universal concern. and laments the fact that
New York is far behind those commonwealths
in this particular; but he finds encouragement
in the records of his office small as they show
the amount Of work accomplished and under
way to be.
Judged by the number of miles Of road actu-
ally put in good condition. there Is little prog
ress 10 boast Of. Indeed, those who at the ses-
sion of 1898 expended considerable time and
energy in cndeavoring to demonstrate that the
passage Of the Higbe-Armstrong bill then be-
fore the Legislature would involve the State in
heavy and profigate expenditure would proba-
OF unreasonlng alarm. There certainly was
nothing in the bill TO Justify their apprehension.
lii fact. many Of its advocates deeply regretted
the apparent necessity Of making 1t so extremely
conservative. It's operation was completely
safeguarded against extravaganza, for all work
under It's provisions was explicitly limited by
such appropriations as successive Legislatures
could be induced to make. No appropriation, no
road Improvement Moreover, inasmuch as the
State was to bear only one-half the cost Of the
work done in any year. and nothing was to be
undertaken except on local initiative II should
have been evident TO everybody, as IL was 20
the promoters OF the bill, that. so far from spell
ing ruin, It was If anything, too safe, and
chiefly valuable as the enunciation Of q new and
definite policy.
Turning to the State Engineers figures. we
find this estimate Of the character and probable
effect OF the statute sustained. The State has
appropriated 100000 in all TO pay Its share OF
the cost Of road Improvement. With this and an
equal amount locally contributed contracts for
about twenty-five miles Of reconstructed high
way have been made, of which seven miles on
four roads have been finished and accepted dur
ing the year, and six and half miles on one
road are nearly finished, while eleven miles on
six roads are In progress. 1t does not need TO be
added that in itself alone this is a rather paltry
exhibit but fortunately It does not tell the whole
story For these short stretches OF improved
and improving highway, distributed through
seven counties, serve" In the words Of Mr..
Bond, las examples to the people In the various
localities, with the immediate result that many
petitions are received from the counties in
(which they have been built" That is to say.
the leaven is working, as II always does work
when 1t gets chance. So considerate is the
law of local rights and local sentiment that only
on the application of Board of Supervisors is n
survey looking TO possible operations In the
future ordered; yet SURVEYS for 142 miles Of