The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1903-10-29

@ q quite too long ana 700 often
\ L changed, declares n. K.
1o~ Campbell. Thepeop!e don't
have ume to get we'll acquainted with
the law before it is repealed or changed,
and all changes or amendments con-
clude with this or similar deciara.
ton: "Be it further enacted that all
acts .or parts of acts in conflict with
this act, be and the same are hereby
repealed" So that, to fully understand
the road law in many Of the States the
inquirer has to go back to the days OF
Patrick Henry, George Washington
Thomas Jefferson. Andrew Jackson OF
some far distant period, and rummage
through the musty pages Of the many
road laws that were passed II VARIOUS
and sunGry times for the improvement
Of the public roads.
Road laws should be plain. simple
and easily understood, so that the com.
mon people can understand them. anc
there should be much left to executive
intelligence.
Some States have over 100 sections in
their road laws. and every year they
keep adding to them.
Every State should have superin'
tendent of public roads, and every
county a superintendent with ample
authority to view out and lay on pub
lie roads within their jurisdiction, and
to oversee and generally superintenc
the construction and maintenance Oh
the public roads within their respect
i've territory under the general direc'
ton of the State superintendent. This
would materially abridge the laws ID
relation to public roads, for any corr
petent superintendent can build road
better, and do it cheaper. than any or
binary Legislature can legally ADVISE
him to do it. The amount annually
consumed by legislative bodies. discuss
ing. amending and changing the road
laws, would go far toward paying all
of the State expense Of the office OF
State Superintendent Of public roads.
The State Superintendent should nave
annual meetings Of the county superin'
tendents in each Congressional district
to discuss road construction and main
tenance, and draft or suggest needed
legislation.
Superintendents Of the different coun
ties should be held responsible by law
for proper maintenance OF the roads
in good, passable condition, at all sea-
sons of the year, and if they cannot dc
so should report the fact to the county
court, or judge Of the county. for RELIEF
or releasement; for it should De re-
oujred in all cases that good roads DC
maintained and not merely that they
should be worked once year, ana
the balance Of the year go without at
tention.
Laws should be passed In all States
taxing heavily or prohibiting the run
ming Of narrow-tired wagons on pubic
roads; for they are a positive injury ia
all roads Of every kind and grade. Ta
grasp this idea more fully take disc
harrow or disc plow and put 30e
weight thereon and haul 1t over the
roads for month so rs to pass over
the same part of the road ten times
a day when the ground is damp. and
then see the condition Of that road:
then take one Of those heavy steam.
rollers used in road construction
weighing 10000 pounds or more and
have it pass over this same piece OF
road for the same number OF times as
the disc plow and observe the change.
This test involves the use OF extremes
to determine problem. and there are
none so dull Of comprehension as not
fully to grasp the folly from such
demonstration of permitting the run
ming Of two-horse wagons. carrying
$500 to 5000 pounds, with one and
half to one and five-eighth inch tires.
These wagons would destroy even the
roads that Nero built.
I am aware of the difficulty OF ger.
ting such law passed in State
where the narrow tire prevails, but this
can be done by passing the law to take
effect at distant date. SO that In p,ir'
chasing new wagons, or repairing old
ones. the change can be made within
couple of years without great injury
to any party, but injury or no injury II
will have to be done before good roads
can be maintained. Narrow-tired wag.
ons have long since been outlawed ir
older countries, and they will have to
in this, for they are absolute destruc'
ton to dirt roads. In order to pass
laws in some States to do away with
the destructive narrow tires 1t might
be necessary for the Legislature te.
pass acts declaring the running OF
wagons and other vehicles on the pub
lie roads in the State to be privilege
and thus tax the harmful narrow tires
and not those with the legally required
widths.
And now in conclusion, what Is need
ed in the way of treatment Of the bad
roads disease is: less laws, fewer
changes, more money, better executive
ability, mixed with one-tenth science
and nine-tenths common sense.-Good