The Democrat-sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1906-1935, 1908-10-29
State Appropriation Fol
Road Building.


appropriation for the building o
improved highways in Ohio NEE
with many peculiar argument
against such movement and II
some cases wueful ignorance o.
state laws and their application
A short time ago the secretary OI
the Good Roads Association oi
Ohio received letter from one oi
the central counties conveying the
information that u county commits
sioner said 1.-THE present highway
law and appropriation give the
assistance to the northern part
of the state and are not benfited
at all ="
Ordinarily such statement
would arouse our sympathies for
the speaker, but coming from a
public servant and one naturally y
expected to be acquainted with
the highway law in particular. 1T
arOuses our pity. Yet why should
We pity man who does not at
tempt to keep himself versed in
work he is supposed to be caring
for. The fact that such man is
elected to public office does not
speak very we'll for the electors of
the country, but there is the miti-
eating condition that the electors
expected the candidate to be at
normally active in the discharge of
his duties. The existence Of such
conditions does more to retard the
growth of community than can
possibly be estimated.
One Of the first principle of law
is that all people under the juris-
dition of the governing body
making law must be equally af-
fected by the law. Time and
again reasonable and fair proposed
laws have been declared unconstl-
tutional because some particular
counties in the state have been af-
fected either favorably or other
wise. The general appropriation
bill passed by the Legislature of
necessity affects all counties
and so the $44O, 900
for road work means
IS, 900 for each of the eighty-elg
of the state. This
is available for use Janu
ary l, 1909, but application must
be made by the county commits
sioners for their share of the
Appropriation, before that time.
The state has done its share when
The appropriation is made and
f any county does not profit by
The appropriation the fault is with
The county officials alone. The
Increase in tie states proportion
If the amount to be expended for
Dad construction has materially
essened the burden on the
counties, townships and sbutting
and there appears no
,Ood reason why any county
hould fail to avail itself of the
tate aid. By taking advantage
# this appropriation a limited
Mileage can be improved and
'dded to each year so that in q
comparatively few years the main
horoughfares may all be properly
ared for.
Many who are taking an active
interest In the cause of improved /,
highways believe that the state
hould appropriate larger {
mount. The wealth and popu- f
alton Of the state wonld warrant
uch an increase and the results {
esired could be much more rapid
= attained. G
The Good Roads Association of &
'hio, with Offices in Cleveland, is c
aking very active part ia r.
lpport of such an increase and I
hey have the assurance OF many
the present Legislators and
ominees that they would support I
lch an increase il their electors q
expressed themselves favorably. I
his puts the question up to each
no of the electors and our duty /
lawabiding self-respecting /
ti2ens Interested ia the welfare q
our home state calls for us to
xprsss ourselves defoitely and at .
nee. Speak to your representa-
We about it. d