Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1901-07-12

the state as progressive in spirit and
with an intelligent apprehension Of
what satisfies and gratifies the people
and makes n state desirable and at
tractive as n place of residence. New
jerseys increase in population In the
last decade was 1913 per cent, which is
matched orly by few Of the states
west of the Mississippi. Pennsylva-
MAS growth in the same decade was
but 1919 per cent. We do not attribute
all the difference to the stimulation
which over 500 miles of improved
roads have given to New Jersey, but
no one can doubt after reading Com
missioner Budd's report that these i'm
proved roads are most important
contributor to the present unusual
growth and prosperity of that state.
The New Jersey road law is better
than any that Pennsylvania has or Is
likely to get Immediately. 1t would be
a great boon to this state to have the
New Jersey road law adopted here bod
lily instead of patching up our own
crude system and preserving its de.
fects. In New Jersey all road taxes
must be paid in money. Here we still
allow men to "work 6ut" their road
taxes, a practice that is entirely in.
compatible with any scientific system
of improved roads. In Pennsylvania
the township Is the unit of roadmaking.
This is wrong. A road Is not exclusive.
ly for local use, but is generally high
way between distant points. An ener-
ho
roads, but because its neighbors do not
cooperate that township in bad wealth
er Is like an island in the midst of a
slough. There should be state roads
for through travel, county roads as
feeders and for more restricted travel
and township roads for purely local
traffic. Over all there should be state
control, and for all there should be
state aid. Those living on or near a
good road are benefited, but they are
not the sole beneficiaries. The road be-
longs to the public, and the public
should pay good part of its cost.
This is the New Jersey principle. A
township road is improved, made a
smooth stone road very much as we
have In our public parks, wherever the
owners Of two-thirds of the land front
ing on the road will agree to pay one
tenth Of the cost. The township may
then improve the road, paying CT per
cent of the cost, and the state will pay
the remainder less the 10 per cent paid
by the abutting property owners. I'm
der the county state aid law the state
pays one-third Of the cost Of road i'm
provement, and the county pays two
thirds less one-tenth assessed on the
abuttlng property holders. AS the
county roads usually connect at the
county line, they, when improved in
several adjoining counties. make long
continuous improved roads. In this
way New Jersey has a continuous Inn
proved road from Camden to the sea.
shore and will soon have roads running
up and down and across the state In
every direction. The state supervision
under a state commissioner of high
ways gives a unity and harmony to the
system which, at its present rate Of de-
velopment, will soon embrace it's en-
tire state.
This system is popular in New Jer-
sey. 1t is liked by the farmers, who
do not begrudge paying 81 to an i'm
provement in front of their homes when
so comes from other sources. The mon
ey expended on these roads is not rails
ed by immediate taxation, but by the
sale Of bonds, the payment of which is
distributed over a term of years. The
result is there is no complaint on the
score of taxation under the New Jer-
sey plan, while the farmers find that
the increased comfort which they get
out of the roads, the more regular ac-
cess TO markets and particularly the
very much larger loads they can draw
with the same number of horses make
improved roads n profit and a pleasure
to them. New Jersey is not prodigal in
state aid. The legislature fixes a limit
to the amount Of money that may be
used for this purpose, with tho result
that there are more claimants for the
appropriation than can always be graf
flied.