Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1909-04-16
FRIDAY, APRIL rs. 1909.
The Highway Profile m 4.

to see that the Burlington Free Press has
made the discovery that automobiles are
not only very destructive to highways
but thus far have been permitted to run
on them practically without contributing
to their construction or maintenance. This
might have been and was foreseen by
those intelligent in the subject of roads.
And therefore thus far our Legislature
has been more prudent than many states
in the amount appropriated to build auto
mobile roads.
1t has been perfectly evident to any
thoughtful person that the bills intro
duced into our Legislature for the build
ing of permanent roads by the State
were in the interest and practically
alone in the interests of the automobilists
At such times there are always plenty of
persons ready to assist parties, who
wish them to, by voting away the peo-
ple's money. Thus, by the recent laws
our towns have been called upon to con-
tribute in this matter of building roads
where they get very little if any benefit,
the bills being met almost entirely by
those who do not own or have any in
terest in automobiles.
We are exceedingly glad that the
Free Press has spoken in this matter in
no doubtful manner, and sincerely hope
that it will continue to do 80. until this
question, which is one of the most press.
ing practical ones of the day, is justly
and equally settled.
In the first place it is manifest to all
that all parties who use the roads should
pay their full proportion of their cost
and maintenance, and that proportion, it
is evident TO all, is in accordance with the
wear and tear of the roads by the vehicles
which use them; and therefore at once
all automobiles which traverse them,
whether owned in the State or elsewhere,
should in some way be made to pay every
dollar and cent of the damage which
they cause.
If now every newspaper in Vermont
will strive for what is Just and right in
this vital question, the people will soon
be properly instructed and fully able tC
protect their rights.
We are also especially gratified to
learn that our State Highway Commits.
siOner, Mr.. Gates, and the local makers OF
permanent roadway, fully recognize the
conditions which confront us and are
ready to do their part i'll correcting them
In this matter the same conditions
should exist as in turnpikes. Everyone
should pay each time for the use of any
highway and the rate of toll should bt
proportionate to the use. Very soor
those engaged in constructing and main
tanning the highways will know VIVA
this is. No matter what it is, it is abso
lutely just that it should be paid to tn,
last dollar. And if parties are not will
ing to do this, they should not be per
mitted to use the roads.
In this connection it is very evden
that system of gates as in the old tim,
turnpike would very much assist in tn,
equable division of expenses of main
tanning roads thus used. Such gates ais,
would be of much use in regulating
speed. -
We quote the following from the arti
Gle, above mentioned, in the Free Press
AUTO TAXATION AND GOOD ROADS.
Vermont in common with her neigh
boring states is facing the road problem
in its latest and in many respects it
of the Green Mountain state have begun
TO take hold of the construction of per
manent highways in earnest they ar
discovering that automobiles driven a
tremendous speed are the enemy of pei
manent roads, and they are beginning t.
realize that the problem must be solve
over again.
Word comes from Massachusetts tina
the good roads for which that state ha
become justly famous are showing the ei
fects of the scorching automobile in tn
appearance of little stones of varyin
sizes on the surface of the highway, tn
b'huhie having Dttl BIOuuu Oul ny vi
rubber tires or sucked out by the whir
ing machine and sent skyward in COZ
slant clouds of dust. Vermont has fe
this influence to less degree that tn
Bay State owing to the greater numbe
of autos using the roads in that stat,
but State Highway Commissioner Gate
and the local makers of permanent roaC
way are experiencing grave concern owe
the problem which confronts them i
this particular connection.
Some people entertain the opinio
that automobiles do not injure tn
crushed stone roads. but nobody VIII
watches the clouds of dust which 70
up therefrom when an auto swir
past in a dry time can reasonably a
sert that the constant repetition of tn
operation does not remove large vo