The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1904-07-21
WHICH WILL BE THE PROGRESS
SIVE COuNTIES2

sue, IN attractive pamphlet form, a
brief statement of the purposes and
mode of operation of the State Aid
Road Law passed by the Legislature
at its last session. The pamphlet,
after summarizing the objects and
methods of the law. gives the law
itself in full; and appended to it is a
page, perforated for detachment, con-
tanning blank form of application to
the Highway Division for such sur
yeys and plans as may be necessary
for the purpose of making specifica-
tions and estimates of cost for any
proposed road improvement, the APP
plication to be signed by the Board
OF County Commissioners. The High
way Division points out in its pamph-
let that as the law does not become
operative until January 1, 1905, there
is an opportunity in the meantime
for the various Boards of County
Commissioners TO take up the prelim-
mary work in connection with the Sc
! lection of the road to be first built
and that these preliminary arrange
ments take much time, andif they are
delayed until the first of the year
much valuable time will be lost and
little progress will be made the first
season. 1t also calls attention to the
fact that amy county applying in
season to have its surveys made dur
ing the present year will gain the adj
vantage of having the full cost of
the surveys paid by the State in the
end, while one.half of the cost of the
SURVEYS made after January /, 1905,
must be borne permanently by the
county, as stated in Sections ) and
10 of the act
There should be a healthy rival
ry among the counties of Maryland
to avail themselves OF the liberal, and
vet not pauperizing, provisions of the
road act. The question of its consti-
nationality should not be permitted
to interfere with the taking of the
preliminary steps suggested by the
Highway Division; if the law should
be pronounced unconstitutional, no
harm will have been done, while if it
stands the test of the courts the good
work will have been ibut step for
ward. In any case, moreover, there
] fr % I, Il
constitutional amendment legitiIna-
ting such appropriations as are called
for in the law will be approved by
! the people at election of 1905; and,
though the work will be postponed
one year if it has to wait for this &C
ton, yet the fixing upon define line
at present will conduce to its prompt
! prosecution when the law does come
into operation. There is no reason
why any county interested in its own
progress should delay in making its
wishes known, and putting them in
the way of fultillment In nothing
can county show its progressive
spirit more Enthusiastically than in
than in manifesting its readiness and
eagerness to provide itself with that
essential of fiourishing community,
good roads.
The law gives every county an
equal chance in securing the cooper
alton of the State. The amount of
aid receivable by any county is in
direct proportion to the public-road
mileage of the county as compared
with the total of such mileage for the
State. If less than this quota is TAX
en- by any county, the remainder is put
down again for the general fund, to
be re-apportioned among the other
counties that are willing to pay half
the cost on all the improved roads
they can get under the law may thus
be benefited to point beyond their
original share, while less progressive
or public-spirited counties will lose
the corresponding part of their posi-
BILE benefits. The operation of the
scheme will result in great benefit, to
the State as whole, provided the
varions counties show the spirit that
is to be expected. 1t must be re-
membered that the thing contemplat-
ed is not mere local improvement
here and there, but the gradual build
ing of a system of good roads forming
a network embracing the entire
State. The application for State aid
must in each instance be approved
by the State commission on the
ground that the road in question is
lone of general public convenience. y
With the administration of the law
thus in excellent hands, and with the
clear purpose IN view of making a
genuine advance in the States facili-
ties for communication and trans
portation in it's country districts,
there should be an eager and general
acceptance by the County Commits
sioners of the opportunity for public
improvement offered by the road law.
| Baltimore News.