The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-11-06
TRUNK LINE HIGHWAYS
Bill Before House Meets With Favor.
able Mention

The measure introduced into the
House of Representatives by Repres
niauyc Frank H. Howe of Benning
on providing for the construction by
he state of trunk highways and inter
secung lines has attracted a great
Teal of attention and Do Is only fair TO
say has elected q great deal OF favor
able comment says the 81 Adams Mes
senger. Here is word from The Bos-
ron L. sra Ger instance.
Ell Vermont decides TO construct
he proposed two trunk highways run
liug north and south with six inter.
icctiug lines. she will not regret &c.
90 is the one thing needed 10 popular
ze the state with summer tourists
Green mountain scenery Us exceeding
g. beautiful but Green mountain roads
re- exceedingly bad Consequently
Vermont thus Ear fails 10 receive her
proper share of the great tide OF tray
81 Dos motor. which brings prosperity
tu the country INN and stimulates bus
mess in a dozen ways The cost Of
the proposed state highway is large
for state oi NermCnts resources but
DO would bee money w,ll invested.
The idea 4 Uo, new enc. 10 be-
sure having been brought forward
with more or lusa notifications of de-
tails several times during The past
decade Perhaps one of the most
noteworthy propositions OF the kind
was that OF Or ~ Seward Webb iu
1898 But lhe proposition has the
merit of aiming 900 the only true sol
ution of the good road problem in
Vermont and that The state itself shall
build The roads
The republican party is ON record
as fayoring such "a policy The plat
form of 1904 declared
We believe that the welfare and
increased prosperity OF the state and
the better convenience and greater en-
IOymenl of its inhabitants require that
system of permanent highways
should be- constructed upon modern
scientific principles and 40 the eX.
ponse OF the state such expense to
be- so provided for that no material
increase of taxation 90 our people
shall result ihvreirom.
The bold declaration has never
been suhslanliat,d IN law and was not
repeated iu the state platforms OF 1906
and 1905. but The principle behind It is
gradually being worked out IN the CIV
olution of Vermont highway law More
and more power aud authority are be
ing concentrated boz The hands Of the
state nc each session of the legiSla'
turo aud there rs reason 10 hope that
eventually the recognized policy OF
the commonwealth will contemplate
the public highways not as the local
property OF The towns in which they
are situated but as the property OF all
the people of the state at large who
use them for reaching these towns.
There is much To be- said IN support
nf REPRESENTATIVE uowes plan. The
beneficial effect OF such wholesale
Improvement of the states highways
upon the tourist travel Ia Vermont
cannot bee estimated n the lawmak
crs can only be- made to realize what
profitable investment for the state
IL would be- to- build such q system Of
trunk highways there would be some
hone for the plan. As tt is now, It
can only be- brought forward In the de
sire To keep zap the agitation of the
good roads propaganda and help to ed
lucatc the public mp to- realizing sense
off the importance of demanding such
| a system of highway construction he
/ lore long. The Messenger will ven
ture to- say that that Is the most MT.
/ Howe himself expects for his Dill