Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1902-02-21

times cannot fail to be a public benefac-
ton of the first Importance, -Intervlew
with Nicola Telsa.
~oo|
STATE HIGHWAY WORK IN VERMONT.
Experience Is a good teacher, as is
shown by the report of the Massachu-
sets state highway commissioners, who
say that when state road building was
first commenced the cost was something
like 81 900 a mile, while now it has been
reduced to an average of S6,S4o. Inc
commissioners attribute this satisfactory
showing to the efficiency of the agencies
of the commission and the general edu-
cation of the various town officers in
road making. Nor has the greatest gain
in the matter of state road building been
stated. The towns of Massachusetts
having learned how to build roads more
cheaply have of course applied their
knowledge to their own roads, so that
they are getting more and better roads
for their money than formerly.
The Massachusetts highway plan is
we'll worth considering for Vermont.
We believe it was suggested at one time
| by Ex-Governor f, G. Smith that the
state issue a few million dollars worth of
bonds for the purpose of permanent
highway building. The inception of the
idea was generally accredited to DR.. w.
Seward Webb; but the size of the APP
preparation suggested rather took the
breath of Vermonters away.
But something along the line of per-
manent work on the highways of this
state should be done and done system
atically. The Massachusetts plan Is for
the state highway commission to de-
termine what pieces of road in different
parts of the state should be macadmized
within year. The yearly state ap'
preparation is then sapportioned to the
work laid out, each town being assessed
half the cost OF the improvements. In
this way the work is equitably distribut
ed. the burden of cost divided and the
highways are constructed according to 6
uniform plan. As result Massachusetts
is gradually acquiring good many miles
of perfect main highways, or state roads
as they are called there.
OF course, the highway work in Thu
state would necessarily be more limited
in its scope and in the amount expended
than in more populous Massachusetts
But to a proper extent and in an equit
able way Vermont should be doing some
thing to develop a system of permanen
state highways or mair-traveled roads
-Rutland News.
= 5000
, THE WAR TAX REPEAL BILL.
Without debate and by unanimous cor
t sent the House of Representatives yesteI
day passed Mr. Payne's bill rcpealin
: the war taxes. Ii is estimated that til
, repeal will reduce the internal revenue c
S the government by about seventy-fiv
t million dollars.
! The reduction was promised In tn
a Republican platform of 1900 upon whic
q Mckinley and Roosevelt were elected
5 "The country is now justified" said this
s platform, "in expecting, and it will be tn
= policy of the Republican party, to brin
about the reduction of the war taxes"
The Democratic platform of the sam
year denounced the war takes as "oI
pressive," and favored their "reductlo
aud speedy repeal
Theoretically, therefore, there ougl
to be no opposition anywhere to III
measure introduced by Mr.. Payne froI
.ho Ways and Means Committee. The'
is some force, however, IN the opinio
attributed TO Senator Hanna that
may not be prudent to shave the margi
close, in view of the probability of lare
expenditure in the near future for gre'
national purposes, such, for eXampl
as the Isthmian canal.
unfortunately there is no known methc
of setting apart huge surplus and holt
ing it intact for the nobler uses whlo
national policy may suggest. III
surplus is there, and meanwhile is like
to be frittered away in such channels
are contemplated by the countless pr
posals of expenditure now pending
congress.
The federal building bills introduc,
at the present session alone would di
pose, as we have shown, of betwe'
=. sixty and seventy millions. The celeri
IN with which these bills are now passil
the senate by unanimous consent is
!. significant and somewhat alarmil
$: feature of the general situation. II
w. additional proposals for river, harb
en- and creek improvements already intI
or duced, for military parks and mon
". mental establishments and miscella
en- eous expenditure of astonishing variet
as could readily relieve the treasury
ed thirty or forty millions more.
ug There is no doubt that an immen
ny surplus, swollen constantly by the {
en- cess Oh REVENUE Ho"inS ihlo 'ho po'
ng uTy, Is a constant temptation 10 extra
of agant and unnecessary appropriated
ys This is a billion dollar country, but
political party responsible Tor the I
NC minstration of affairs can afford
Ut. presume upon that fact.-New 70