The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1905-03-02
MUST KNOW GOOD
ROADS FROM BAD

f. G. Young, professor of economics
and sociology at tine University of Ore
gon, is the author of recent bulletin
entitled Tendencies in Recent Amer
lean Road Legislation. +" The bulletin
is published as one of new series by
the state university. The press work
was very creditably done in the Office
of the Eugene Register.
Professor Young in his bulletin
shows that satisfactory progress il
the building and maintenance oi
good roads requires first of all an ap,
probation Of what good roads mean
for the welfare Of the people and
the development Of such an organi.
zation of their resources as will furn.
ish road improvement money and
brains. People must realize what
they have at stake in the difference
between good roads and bad roads
and then get such a system of laws as
will induce the largest measure of
effective effort in building good
roads.
The bulletin is made up of two
parts. In the first Professor Young
points out the conditions that led to
the most remarkable awakening of
the people of this country during
the last l5 years to the interest they
have at stake in their public roads.
A great national movement has
been organized. The support Of the
general government In its office of
Public Road Inquiries has been enlist
ed. The agency under Hon. Martin
Dodge Is rapidly extending its work.
1t Is disseminating most helpful liter
ature on road construction and road
laws, 1t is testing free of charge road
material and has built object lesson
roads in nearly every state. The very
efficient National Good Roads associa-
tion Is supported by about half
dozen kindred national organizations.
Every state probably and many sec
tions and counties are organized to
promote the cause of good roads.
1t Ii clear that the laws that ema-
nate from movement of such spirit
and earnestness have significance and
are valuable as models.
Having shown that the basis Of the
good roads movement lies In the far
reaching Importance to people of
their roads and pointed out the fact
that In the long run good roads are
not whit harder on the pocket book
than are bad roads Professor Young
goes carefully into the laws that have
been the outcome of this movement.
He gives tabular digests showing
the provisions In the law of the differ
ent states and territories bearing up
on the characteristic features az they
were In 1889; secondly the changes
made by 1895; thirdly, those made be-
tween that date and 1904. The tend
encies clearly revealed In this new
road legislation are summarized.
Since the meeting of the first cost
of the permanent roads Is the crucial
part Of the road problem, that system
of road laws is best which secures the
most equitable distribution of the
burden of road improvement. State
aid with state supervision has been |
adopted by nearly one-third of the |
states as solution of the problem |
of cost. Through this state aid very |
satisfactory results have been obtain.
cd. New Jersey, Massachusetts, Con-
necticut and New York have given
this policy thorough tests and are rap
Idly increasing their state appropria-
lions. Among the other new features
In road laws that the bulletin notes
are more serviceable classifications
Of roads; provision for skilled super
Intendence In the location, construc-
lion and continuous repair of roads;
substitution OF the money tax for the
abor tax and the rapid increase of
'axation for road purposes; work done
lnder contracts publicly let; recourse
20 bond issues utilization of convict
abor in constructing roads and pre-
barring road material; protection of
'oads through favoring use of wide
Tres; convertion of toll roads into
public roads.
The phenominally rapid develodment
Of the sentiment in favor of national
aid for road improvement is noted
and the "toning up effect on state
systems that such national aid would
undoubtedly have.