The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-01-28
STATE ENGINEER TELLS
ABOUT NEW ROAD LAWS
Mr.. Tanner Briefly Outlines
Meaning and Operation of
Highway Statutes.

Caleb Tanner, state engineer, spoke
on the operation Of tic new road laws
passed by the legislature last winter,
when he addressed the good roads con-
vention Thursday, Mr.. Tanner began
by paying tribute to the indomit able
energy and faithful service Of d. X.
Roberts, the father of good roads IN
Utah. - Then, at the request of the
convention, he outlined briefly what
the new laws were, These were:
Chapter % gives in exact detail the
specifications of road construction. and
the state engineer is to be called I'm when
those are departed from in permanent
highways,
Chapter lis outlines the duties and
powers OF tho county road commission
and the county board.
Chapter 1l9 creates the state roads
commission and outlines Its duties.
Chapter 12o deals with the special
road district tax.
Mr. Tanner then briefly sketched the
main purposes of the laws;
Chapter us had been placed on the
laws with the idea OF centraliztng tho
responsibility for roads and road con-
struction In the county
Chapter 1ls was passed TO give the
state authorities more control over the
expenditures of state moneys for road
constructions The county commissioners
must file maps OF proposed state high
ways.
With reference TO the laws as they
affect the counties, Mr., Tanner said:
Tie main reason for placing chapter
llSon the statute books was TO ccntrslize
in the counties i'll the hope OF getting bet
ter results from such Contamination than
the people OF the state had been able TO
obtain from the old system of road super
,.ts- IL .1f ,fxS,11 1sI
expenditure by supervisors with little, or
no Immediate supervision from the boards
OF county commissioners has again been
made the subject of most caustic crlu-
cism. WaStefulncss, extravaganza, fa-
yoritism, lnefflciency were the descrip-
tive terms that were constantly cropping
out In the description of that system
The new system was intended TO cure
many disadvantages Of the old 1t has,
however. been in operation only short
time. II has, as YOU might expect, had
the hostility or many people who were
benciciares under the cid establishment.
This hostility, coupled with the fact that
many people dislike change and are apt
to express more or less coDious criticism
on innovations. has led, In certain Sec
tions Iof the state, to an attitude which
has here and there dlscreditod this law.
Where the county commissioning and puo-
lie opinion have not been hostile, the op-
along fairly we'll There arc localities
where there are more or less legitimate
objections to the now regime. There may
be places where the unbiased fact Is that
the old system is better than the new.
To my mind. however, this Is debatable
Special road districts were commented
on in this wise:
1t is almost without exception the or
OF men that that which
we help to do and that which We help
pay for has our watchful interest and
legitimate criticism. This result docs not
commonly follow in observing the eXpen-
dituro OF public money by public officers
That is one reason why this law Viii be-
come IL considerable benefit to all per-
maneDt county road construction in this
state. The citizen that Is paying for IS
per cent OF the total cost OF county
road in course OF construction Will not
permit grave irregularities or wasteful
methods TO obtain without making siren
uous objection. In addition. other things
being equal. good roads Will go where
the people arc willing TO hear tho cN-
pcnsc OF building them. This VIII re-
move much Of the opportunity for selfish
or unfair public officers TO place public
money where II does not serve best the
wants OF the people.