Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1904-03-24
The SUBJECT OF GOOD ROADS
As Presented by Hon. p. w. Clement,
and How to Get Them.


7 Hon. Percival w. Clement, ex-mayor of
Rutland and the high license agitator of
/ two years ago, spoke to about a hundred
voters and few others in Dubois & Gay's
hall Tuesday evening on the subject OF
good roads and how TO secure them.
"A nation" said Mr.. Clement, "always
leaves some mark of its civilization, and
the Roman Empire left the Roman roads,
remains of which are to be seen TO the
present day. Let me see nations roads,
and will tell you the standard of its civil
ization.
Our achievements in this country are
due largely to our railroads, of which we
have two hundred thousand miles in fine
condition and constantly improving. The
railroads are the only ones that have
really helped us and been in advance; for
they led civilization across the Western
plains, while other roads followed il.
Freight transportation in this country is
reckoned at 125 cents ton per mile by
railway, and rs cents ton by highway,
while in Europe the highway transporta-
tion rate is one-h half of ours, or the same
as our freight rate, 12l cents. This country
spends annually $3.50, 900, for wagon
transportation, and If we could lower our
rate to the European highway rate, we
could save enough in two years to pay all
of the national debt.
Switzerland, which, in Mr.. Clements
opinion. is no prettier than Vermont, is
visited every year by 1000 900 tourists, who
leave .60,00O,0O0 there In necessary expens-
es and spend over s40,000,000 in buyin
tourists supplies and knieknaeks. En-
tertaining these guests has become the
chief industry OF Switzerland, and her
success is due to her good roads and her
hotels, the best perhaps in the world. This
is proved by the fact that before the era OF
good roads no such crowds tiocked TO that
country.
Vermont might be the Switzerland of
America in tourists as well as scenery, II
she had the roads and the hotels to attract
them. Within six hours ride OF her
borders are IL ,000,0 900 people, who want TO
go somewhere every year and who would
naturally come to Vermont, the most
beau iful state in New England with
climate that cannot be surpassed in the
summer though it is little rigorous dur
ing the winter months. Instead OF COM
ing to Vermont, however, New Workers go
TO Europe, and Nermonters. when they
want a good time, go to the city, and the
poor old state gets nothing.
To draw the travel this way, we must
have good roads, and the first we build
should be across the mountains from Lake
Champlain TO the. Connecticut river, each
one Of which would cost in the vicinity OF
s250,O00. OF course the towns cannot
build these roads and would soon be bank
rupt II they tried, but il would be a proper
thing for the state to build and maintain
them in all the counties and call them
state roads, using money that we fool
away now for that purpose.
A million and half flows In and out OF
the state treasury annually. and an over
worked auditor keeps the best track OF II
that he can. An increase in the number
OF auditors was recommended as a safe
guard against waste, and the institution Of
a general corporation law like that OF New
Jersey, was believed to be a good thing.
From her corporation law New Jersey
realizes a million year, and similar law
would bring fifty or hundred thousand
into Vermont.
From 1871 to 1901, the population OF our
state increased five per cent,while the cur
rent expenses increased 125 per cent, and
the only thing we have to show for the
1855, 900 OF increase is the asylum at Water
bury. In 1871, it cost the state $4,000 to
care for the insane, sl5S, 600 in 1901, but it
is TO be taken into consideration that the
towns used TO contribute largely TO the
support OF the insane while now the state
does il all. which is very likely the better
way. In 1872 there were 33S OF the dement,
ed, and 705 in 1902, each one Of whom cost
the state S234 a year to support. The
trouble Is that while giving our insane the
best of care and attention, we might, by
adopting the business-hke methods Of
Massachusetts, or Rhode Island, save S70,- |
900 year for good roads.
In 1871 court expenses were $4,000, and |
$4,000 in 1901, the increase being due to |
the administration of the prohibitory law
and TO the fact that the passing years
brought greater knowledge OF making 4
graft. The prohibitory law being now out /
OF the way, Mr.. Clement looks for a de- /
crease in court expenses.
The east side of the state has better
roads than the west because there are few
er stones, less mud in spring and better
soil for road making. In handling freight |
we are Just where We we're hundred years
ago, and the cost of getting produce TO the
is enormous.
The good road is the macadam stone
road built at 5000 mile for a highway /
twelve, and perhaps fourteen, feet wide.
In this connection stereopticon views were
shown OF the good roads of Europe and 1
this country, and the advantage in hand
ling freight up easy grades and on a
smooth, hard highway pointed out. In
contrast appeared pictures OF the miry /
tracks, so common in this state, where
the wagon sinks to the hubs and four
horse team is stalled with one-horse
load.
Mr.. Clement favors the Brownlow bill
in Congress and urged his hearers TO write
TO their senators and representatives TO
further its passage.
Touching on the state legislature, he
the practice of the towns in
sending new man to Montpelier every
session. In private enterprises a compe-
tent employee is not discharged as soon as
he has learned the business and fresh APP
prentice taken on, and in legislation, ex-
perience and training are even more essen
tial. In the last five years there have been
1919 men in the House OF Representatives
and 1l09 OF them were new men, who
served one term and never went back.
Mr.. Clement said he came before the
people two years ago in the interest OF the
license local-option law, and he comes be-
fore them this year in the interests of good
roads, because he realizes that before any
thing can be done the subject must be
thoroughly thrashed out on the cracker
barrel in every corner store.
Mr.. Clement came to Randolph in his
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