Evening journal., 1910-01-24
Monday, January "a. 1910
COUNTY IMPROVEMENTS.

a N unsuccessful effort was made by the Sus-
sex County Levy Court the other day to
elect county road engineer Many ballots
were taken without result, one Republican hold
ing out against the others of the party who sup
ported Mr. William J. Mustard for the position.
The Sussex Journal Democratic authority,
says that Mr. Mustard is capable OF holding the
position, and we assume from this that he knows
considerable about the care of roads. But the
Journal adds that the salary for the place is 5000
year, and some said that they didn't think Mr..
Mustard would bother with the place for that
pay
Judging by the meagre salary, we suppose that
the engineer would not be expected to give
much Of his time to road work, for certainly no
well qualified man could be expected 10 devote
much time to such work for such small com
pensation. We should think that giving proper
care to the roads Of so large county as Sussex
would take about all a mans time
There is however, according to the Journal,
a provision in the law under which the engineer
would receive percentage from each district
for the work done in the district. There may be
good reasons for percentage arrangement, but
they do not appear at this distance. There are
sSme Who, according to the Journal, think the
salary is sufficiently high because they argue
that the new engineer will render no more SER
vice TO the county than the commissioners are
giving Well. If there is TO be no improvement,
what is the use of having a road engineer? The
Journal adds that despite all arguments over
the matter the people want good roads. OF
course they do. and they want them in Kent
county also, and in New Castle. And Kent
county and Sussex county should not let rural
New Castle 90 ahead of them in the matter of
road improvements.
The expenditures we are making in rural New
Castle for good roads have won praise from
neghboring counties in Pennsylvania as the
West Chester Local News said the other day
that New Castle county had made splendid
record We do not say this for the purpose Of
drawing comparisons between Kent and Sussex
in this matter and New Castle New Castle
with Wilmington is expected to DO much more
than the lower counties but so far THE
EVENING JOURNAL. is concerned we merely
want all the progress possible to be made by the
lower counties towards improving the roads and
improving in every other direction
1t is true that Sussex, as was recalled by one
OF the Georgetown papers SOME time ago. has
made considerable progress towards better roads
and now the opportunity is open to her to put
her road building in systematic shape. The
people, they say, want good roads, that is, they
want progress and It is the duty of the Repub-
lican party when it is in control to give them
progress in internal improvements without
waste or extravaganza. If these things are not
20 be given the people by the Republicans they
have poor chance of getting them from any
other party
The Delmar News in discussing this matter
says that the residents of Sussex want these
improvements greatly that the party which
takes the progressive step will entrench itself so
securely that it will be impossible Cor the oppo-
siton TO dislodge it. The News calls on the
Republican party of Sussex TO take the forward
steps and asks will it realize its opportunitv9
Il is for the leaders TO say. If they neglect the
opportunity or engage in petty squabbles over
small matters, as the Democrats in Kent have
been doing, they viii have to answer for their
derehctions at the polls.