Morris tribune., 1910-03-04


/ wish to create the impression that
would have the state build roads for
communities where the people are too
nfggardly to vote means for road-im-
provement. God helps those who
] help themselves. And that brings me
to the question Of how the state road
and bridge fund should be distributed.
The present wise proviso contained
in section 16, article 9, of the consti-
tuition, that no county shall receive in
any year more than three per cent or
less than one-half of one per cent of
the state road and bridge fund,
should remain as it is. Supposing
the fund amounted to $1,2O0,000. No
county could get more than $4,000 or
less than $4,000 in any year. The
proviso that the county should ex-
pend tWo-thirds or one-half as much
as the state should be wiped out
County commissioners could desig-
nate the roads where state money, in
their judgment, should be expended.
All road work should be done by con-
tract according to general plans and
specifications prepared by the state
highway commission, and no work
should be paid for until duly exa-
mined and accepted by an engineer of
the commission. A deputy engineer
could be appointed in each county,
! and the chief engineer and his dep
| uty at headquarters should exer-
else general supervision. Counties
where the local authorities made no
effort to improve the highways with
in their Jurisdiction should receive
scant consideration at the hands of
the commission. The highway COM
mission should be allowed wide lati-
tude in exercising discretion as to
where money should be expended, al
ways subject to the three per cent
constitutional restriction, and if nee
eSsary there could be supplemental
legislation on this subject.
What an object lesson a piece of
wellconstructed road would be in
county. The road authorities Of
every town in the county would have
a practical demonstration of good
road work that would prove of meal
culable benefit.
l wish to call your particular at
tentiOn to the proposed constitutional
amendment to be voted upon this
fall as we'll as to the amendment the
courts decided was adopted in 1906.
Both amendments ignore the highway
commission. Under the constitution
as it now exists (see section 16 art
icle 81, the legislature can authorize
the levy of state road tax of one
fourth of one mill and appOrtion it
out 'pOrk-barreT' fashion. Moreover,
there is nothing in the constitution as
it now exists, or in the proposed
amendment to be voted upon next
November, to prevent the legislature
from enacting a law abolishing the
highway commission. Such action
on the part of the legislature would
certainly be a gigantic stride in the
wrong direction. 1t would be
death-blow to the cause of uniform
good roads in this state
I, for one, would like to see an
amendment enacted by the legisla-
ture and adopted by the voters that
would provide for 1-mill tax, to be
extended by the state auditor every
year, and not leave the levying of
such tax to the discretion of the leg
islature; provide for the expenditure
of the revenue derived from such tax
by the state highway commission;
not more than three or less than one
half Of one per cent Of the fund to be
expended in any county in any year;
without any restrictions as to the
amount that may be expended by a
county in order to enable it to get
state aid. Then the apportionment
Of the road and bridge fund of the
state could not be used as a club in
the legislature to force members to
support Objectionable measures
would not be thing of barter and
sale.
| repeat here what l. said at the
mock session of the legislature held
on the state. fair grounds last Sep
tember, and which | have constantly
reiterated in the, columns of the
Princeton Union, the governor ought
to convene the legislature in extraor-
diHary session to enact and submit an
amendment such as I have outlined.
The expense would be mere baga-
telle-less than $10,0O0-as the mem
bers have already been paid their sal
aries and their mileage would not ex-
ceed $4,000. The chief executive has
it in his power to prevent any other
legislation from being enacted, by
stating to the legislators in advance
that he called them together for the
express purpose of acting on a good
roads amendment to the constitution,
and politely but firmly informing
them that any other measure would
have to be passed over his veto If
such an amendment was enacted it
could be submitted to the voters at
the ensuing election and if adopted
the one-mill tax could be extended in
1911 Otherwise such an amendment
cannot be enacted until the regular