Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-10-27
BETTER ROADS An
IMPORTANT ISSUE
Equitable Division Of Road Tax
One CT Ends Sought Gates
at the Helm.

Montpelier. Oct. Alt is pretty GER
tain that there is to be serious at
tempt OF this session of tho Legislature
10 make "A better regulation OF the divi-
sion of the road tax in towns that have
incorporated villages within their limits.
This now varies greatly according to
the charters of the different villages and
in some cases where the bulk of the tax
able property upon which the road tax
is raised is located within the village the
division works severe hardship upon
the town. -
In some villages it is said that the
charter gives them so much of the high
way money that they have hard work
to spend II and that IL is used for
fountains in parks, sewers and many
other things besides the streets and side
walks where it was intended II should DO
spent
Although most " the incorporated vii
lagos are pretty well OIL as to the amour.
OF money they have 10 spend for high
ways Il is said that some OF the worst
roads In tho State arc 10 te found in
these villages. In fact the roads IN
| many instances do not begin to compare
with those in the town outside.
| Just how the change will be made
Is not now certain. but 1t is IN the
air and the highway committees have
already had II hintcd at ir their dis
cussons.
Highway Commissioner Gates has
been here for the past few days and
has kept the highways committees on
tho jump considering the bills that
are before them. There were two
LONG sessions Of the House committee
yesterday ana another this morning
and the result was apparent in the
House this afternoon when two bills
were reported adversely by the COM
mittee and killed. They were the bills
! introduced by Mr.. Pittridge or Ieiccs-
! ter, calculated to- make the Office of
stat" highway commissioner elective
! instead of appoiutiye. Although Mr.,
| tittridgc made n good appeal for his
| bills ana 10 some they Appeared 10
have merit the adverse repor, was too
much for them, especially when many
| OF tho members were absent and the
rest all impatient to adjourn.
The highway legislation al tnis session
Us certain to be among the most import
| ant considered and Commissioner Gates
! Is endeavoring, with his usual tact, TO
keep everything harmonious and to shape
! 1t so mat II will result in better roads.
| lie Is getting along famously 50 far and
! even Mr.. '.ttridge. whose views on max
| ing the office Gn elective one di1 tot coin
| cldc with those of the commissioner paid
him hish compliment in his remarks,
| saving that he did not want To have 50
| good an Official at the mercy of the Gov
, ernor and would Ike to fix II 80 the state
could be sure Of retaining his serviceH
| There was a lcsitaucy about the week
| end adjournment to-day that showed the
| criticism Of not attending TO business
| which followed last weeks adjournment
| from Friday until Tuesday had mad It's
effect. If a joint resolution had orisi-
| mated IN either body providing Tor such
an adjournment this week the other was
| ready to Kill 1t for the sake OF the glory
| II would set so none was attempted. III
fact 1t was thought by many that to ad'
| journ from Friday until Tuesday re-
quired joint resolution but an appeal
to the constitution of the State showec
| that either House could adjourn Tor no
more than three days without the con
] sent of the other