The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-07-01

STATE AID ROAD II NRw JERSEY.
certain trunk line roads is paid 10y the
state. The principle Of state aid is
that the state contribute 20 road Inn
provemont ont of a general fund to
which an taxpayers contribute. The
fund does not come from farmers
alone but from Az the people, aud
especially from those that are more
abundantly able to bear the burden Of
taxation A great injustice has been
done the farmers Of this country I'm ex-
pecting them alone 20 shoulder the en-.
tire expense and responsibility Of
building country roads. The residents
of cities have slgnided greater will
ingness TO contribute 10 this fund than
those who live in the rural districts,
notwithstanding the fact that proc-
tically all the state aid laws prohibit
the use Of the money within the limits
Of cities and towns. State aid tends 10
euualize the burden Of taxation
Every one who uses a highway or
receives any benefit from It should con-
tribute To the cost of lbs improvement
The farmer Is not the only one who uses
the country roads or receives benefit
from them. They are also used 10y the
country merchant. the lumber dealer
the iuueraut peddler the village doc
tor. the commercial salesman. 10y the
whcclman and the automobiles. and TO-
greater or lesser extent by the en-
tire people The city dweller cannot
live without his daily supplies from
the farm. and De must pay daily and
IN cash the ereater share of an extra
cost attending their transportation
Some of the state highway depart
mcnts ure operated ON a purely polti-
cal basis. and .. very frequently hap
pens that the highway commissioners
as well as their s1hordlnates, are re-
moved from office for purely political
reasons. no matter how efficient or com
petcnt they may he This is the most
serious defect I'm our state aid system
ANY law providing for state super
vision aud state aid should bee SO
framed as To remove its administra-
ton as far as possible from the in
nuence Of partisan politics. A plan
that seems 10 be meeting with general
approval IS one which provides for a
nonpaid. nonpartiSan and technically
competent commission that consists
for instance. Of a professor of civil en-.
cheering from one of the leading uni
versitieS or colleges Of the state. the
state geoloyist and one civilian mem
Der to be appointed by the governor
A commission thus constituted has a
majority of its members selected be
cause Of their training and ability and
without reference TO their political az
fliations. The civilian member ap-
pointed by the governor should bring
to the commission the business ability
essential to the proper and economic
organization and prosecution of its
work. At the same time. so long as
the governor could appoint only the
minority of the commission and the
same being nonpald, there would be
little inducement to make the position
one of political preferment
The actual work OF a state highway
department should be under the direc-
ton Of one man possessing technical
qualifications experience aud execu-
tive ability This official should be un-
pointed by che commission He should
be q civil engineer. skilled and expert
enced i'm road construction and main