The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-08-14
GOOD ROADS
Especial to The Citizen.)


Harrisburg, August 12.-Notwith-
standing the undoubted popularity
of the good roads movement in this
State, the officials of the Pennsylva-
mia Motor Federation and others ac-
tive in the cause are impressed with
the Importance of all friends of good
roads taking advantage of every op-
portunity to emphasize this senti-
ment.
Careful investigation convinces the
officers of the Motor Federation that
the proposition to amend the Consti-
tuition so as to permit the State to
borrow money up to S50,000,000 for
road construction is immensely pop
ular with people of all classes, but
they have also learned that efforts
are being made to lead the farmers
of the State to believe that their in
terests are not paramount in this
matter, and that somehow or other
there would be more money for the
dirt roads of the townships If the
bond issue were not to go through.
Attention is directed to the recent
statement of an official of the State
Grange to the effect that the pro-
posed bond issue would require the
setting aside of $3,50O,0OO annually
for interest and sinking fund, which
amount, if expended direct, would do
lot of road building. In answer
to this it is pointed out by friends of
good roads that no such amount
would be required for carrying the
bond issue as proposed. The bonds
would not be issued all at once, but
only from time to time in such
amounts as were needed for the
work in hand. 1t would be altogeth-
er impracticable to have 5000 miles
of highway under construction at the
same time. Furthermore, instead of
permitting all the bonds to run for
the full 301year period, the State
would be in a position to retire some
of them in a few years and others at
frequent intervals, so that at no
time would the full issue be out
standing.
The Grange official says that on
two occasions the Governor cut large
amounts out of the appropriations
for dirt roads, but it significant that
on both these occasions the appro-
priations for State roads also were
reduced to such an extent that the
Highway department was compelled
to abandon a large portion of its con-
struction program. In both cases
the cutting was due to lack of funds,
and that is exactly the condition the
$50, 900 bond issue is intended to
heal.
The advocates of the bond issue
believe that when the farmers come
to study the matter they will see that
the proposed bonds will provide a
way for relieving the current reve-
nues of the burden of supplying
money for main highway construc-
ton, and that this will leave more
money for distribution among the
townships for making and maintain
ing the dirt roads that are so i'm
portant to the occupants of the
farms.
1t is pointed out that as long as
the State roads are competitors with
the township roads for a share of the
current cash of the State, the town
ship roads are likely to get the worst
of it, and that therefore the farmer,
even if he had not a vital interest
in the building of fine State roads
TO connect the market towns and
cities, would yet have the best of
reason for supporting the bond issue.
The subject is likely to figure con-
spicuously in the campaign now be-
ginning, for the members of the
Legislature elected this year are to
vote on the $50,000,000 bond
amendment in the session of 1918
and it will then go to the people for
their approval.