News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1901-05-08

IlG SIdIe us progressive III SplFlC ana
with an intelligent apprehension of
what satisfies and gratifes the people
| and makes state desirable and at
| trxEtive as a place of residence. New
jerseys increase in population in the
| last decade was 1913 per cent, which Is
matched only by a 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 OUT 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-
getic township may have excellent
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 a good part of its cost.
This is the New Jersey principle. y
township road is improved, made a
smooth stone road very much as We
haEe in our public parks. wherever the
oAners of two-thirds of the land front
III on the road will agree TO pay one
I'd tn of the cost. The township may
" improve the road, paying 81 pen
of the cost, and the state will pay
q remainder less the 10 per cent paid
he abutting property owners. I'm
1.-THE county state aid law the state
one-third of the cost of road i'm
cement, and the county pays two
ls less one-tenth assessed on the
tting property holders. AS the
ty roads usually connect at the
ty line, they, when improved in
Eral adjoining counties make long
tinuous improved roads. In this
New Jersey has a continuous I'M
pvved 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 n unity and harmony to the
system which, at its present rate of de-
velopment, will soon embrace its 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
; proyement in front Of their homes wher
80 comes from other sources. The mon
I 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 thai
the increased comfort which they gel
out Of the roads, the more regular ae
. cess to markets and particularly the
very much larger loads they can draw
with the same number Of horses make
Q improved roads n profit and a pleasure
q to them. New Jersey is not prodigal II
5 state aid. The legislature fixes a limit
to tie amount of money that may bt
used for this purpose, with the result
thatlthere are more claimants for the
i appropriation than can always be graf
! i1ed