The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-02-26
The Good Roads Movement.

L
The judiciary Committee Of tho New New
York Senate has fnvoraN,y reported ne
constitutional amendment providing Tor
4 honol issue of $50, 600 GOO, the proceeds 70
be devoted to the Improvement Of most OF
THE important highways in every county unit
}of tile State. Under this plan So0no IVY
Will be expended annually for ten years.
which, 4 t. Is clnlmed, will result ut tue
end Of that period In bringing up 10
high standard tof.utility about ten per
cent OF the road mileage of the state state
cauitubly apportioned: y Perhaps g clearer AZ,
idea Of the immense prpc tcal advantage
to be gained by this Eproject,'sSsays the
Tribune, lis conveyed in the statement
that IL, It were carried out not a ftrm
In New York would be more than three &c
miles if,om, ar, excellent highway, eading
z directly to a railroad station. The
amendment has already been passed By
one Legislature, and II. approved again
at the present session! it will then be
submitted 10 popular vote next fall The
TRIBUNE thinks that IL such a proposl-
ton had sibccn made only q few years
ago ii would have been voted down by
a large ma jority, tbut. says that public
opinion has been educated rapidly on that
subject, ana tits tty safe to predict an
opposite result next fall, in case the
,aues ton is submitted toEthe people.
The point III tlhs for sYirginans IS that
by giving samples Of good roads the peo-E
pie have been educated up to an a ppre-
citation of them. All educational process
Fes, SO far they relate to- the general
public, are slow, but II intelligentlys con-
Quoted, they are sure.
New Hampshire has also made a move
in the interest OF good roads. the House
of Representatives having recently passed
/. good roads bill unanimously, which lis
expected 10 90 through the Senate with
out opposition. Tile measure was worked
up by Governor Rollins. Governor Batch
elder and their friends. and, as In New
York, is the result Of a campaign Of ed
Jucation.
we learn from New England paper
that the general object OF the bill under
review is to bring about plan of CO.
. operation between the State and the
towns and cities. The work will be In
charge oftthe; Governor and Council The
towns and cities are to- set aside pro-
portion OF their assessed valuation each
year for road Improvement. II any city
OF. town desires State aid in the 3construc-
tlon of u permanent highway, that city
or town shall raise an additional fifty
per cent. of its usual highway approprl-
alton, and the amount required to be set
apart by the new law. From the amounts
cities, the State shall apportlon to the
town desiring aid a sum in proportion to
tho assessed valuation OF the town. The
amounts of Snoney seti.aside, constitute a
joint fund, to She used sby tho State for
permanent 6aprovemcnt of highways.
The fund becomes cumulative. and any
portion not expended goes over to be
FUSED in future. Added to this the State
appropriatcs $4,000 annually for six
years. for the purpose Of securing the
permanent Improvement Of highways.
These States which are taking the lead
in road Improvement arc agreed on these
two fundamentals--that The expenses
should be borne jointly by the state on
Tie one hand, and the counties, cities and
towns on the other and that the work
should be done under the supervision and
direction OF State officials. These arc the
Two principles for which The Times Dis
patch has been contending for years, and
we hope TO see them adopted In Virginia
at the earliest possible moment.
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