Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-05-26
STATE AID TO GOOD ROADS.

STATE AID TO GOOD ROADS.
The Good Roads convention which
has recently adjourned in s. Louis
put itself on record In favor or the en-.
ployrnant 81 consicts 10 the eonstruc-
ton and repair of public roads. This
ii simply pna form IF state aid in
road bulldog which has come 70 be
4 Recognized policy II many Of he
eastern stsffss The use Of convicts
ii considered 81 be especially suit
able ia those states Of large area,
small population and accordingly
small revenues. This plan, recon.
mended BIZ the good roads experts
xho were gathered III ST. Lotsis, Il a
most excellent one and . n which
New Mexico II setting The example
TO other states, our last legislature
In authorizing ernploymeit NJ con.
Yict lator, supplemented By . small
appropriation. 1 build a permanent
highwa, through The beautiful and re-
soarcefdl country between Las Vegas
ana santa Fe, buIided better than u
knew Tie fullest benefits which
could rcsuis from this wise action
arc youehsafed ID The public by the
efficient and economical manner "
which flse money and labor have been
expended under carssil direction. THO
members Of the Legislature which
made possible the building of this
road cannot adequately appreciate the
outcome Of their action until they
have looked upon the work which haa
sd far been completed One result
will doubtless be that New MeAico
win belong permanently In the rank q
I'M states which aid and foster BY all
means In their power the building and
maintenance Of good roads, and tisai
she viii allow a certain number q
lconylcts 10 serve In this nan
ner The commonwealth agaiEsi
which they have offended \
As recognized principle
that conyicts must be made tt
work There are sociological argu
ments against their employment al
ordinary trades where they are
brought into competition With legiti
mate labor. There can be no real
argument against their emr.oymen,
iii such work al road building which
would not be carried on Without their
ilse. Moreover, this sort q work y
more beneficial for their pLysical and
moral health. As TO the security o.
their confinement when engaged in
this work, the objections Of the doubt
fiji have been effectively answered b,
the experience OF the past.
Convict road building In New licked
may well be declared a successful ex
pertinent and the principle involved
Of state aid may well be adopted a;
a permanent policy b. the Territory
How far this is being pursued ii
other states Is shown BY the following
facts taken from a recent issue Of tht
Isl. Louis Globe Democrat;
New Jersey, the first 10 make
state appropriation, passed . law Il
1891 by which the state pays one
third of the cost Of improving III,
roads. The counties furnish Tho other
two-thirds. With the privilege o. cllarg
ing q part OF this proportion to the
towns In which the roads are built
AT first the farmers we're opposed 4
the MEASURE, but now co-operac. viii
Il gladly. A state commissioner 81
highways furnishes the plans Near
~ 1000 miles Of roads in New Jersey
have been m~aeadamized since the ,nA
went into effect In Massachusetts,
the state meets The entire. cost. but re-
OURS the counties To pay hack one
fourth, The state appropriations q
s5o0.oo0 a year have reached d total
|of s5,00o.oo0, ana, as a result, Mass.
achusetts has constructed hunlreds
Of miles Of fine roads. Connecticut
operates on much the same system.