The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1913-03-18
TUESDAY, MARCH 1s, 1913.

ceS of recorders; making a. closed
season for quail for five years from
November 1 next; making it a misde-
meanor to make false statements to
obtain money on credit; changing
seasons for various kinds of game;
Senate bill placing the turtle dove,
kildeer and blackbird on the protect
ed list; Senate bill regulating man
ner in which judges may be called
into district to preside in case of ill
ness or absence of a Judge; making
holders of mine foremen's certif-
Gates eligible for anthracite mine in
spectorships; prohibiting making of
promises by candidates for nomina-
tion for office.
Mr.. Stein, Allegheny, presented
the administration blue sky bill.
A joint resolution for a commits
sion of five to investigate the opera
tion of civil service laws in first class
cities and to suggest laws to the next
General Assembly was presented by
Mr.. Dunn, Philadelphia.
Representative E. E. Jones, of Sus-
quehanna, has presented bill which,
if enacted, will do much for good
roads in townships. 1t provides for
the creation of a bureau of township
roads in the state highways depart
ment.
In explaining the bill Mr.. Jones
said: This bill has been prepared by
myself and Mr.. Gibson, of Lycoming,
after careful study of the road leg
islation of several states, but partic-
ularly of New York state, where this
system has resulted in a marvellous
development and improvement of the
townships on earth roads. The bill
has also been submitted to Mr..
Greasy and other leaders of the state
grange and has their endorsement.
"The vital point in the bill is state
aid to the townships and this feature
is not new, but was the purpose of
the first Jones dirt road act. The
actual money, however, has not been
fully appropriated and the state has
broken faith with the townships. At
present there is due the various
townships of the state over $3,000,-
900.
Wanted State Supervision.
THE objection, heretofore, on the
part of Governor Tener and other
state officials has been that the state
did not have proper supervision of
the money given by the common
wealth. This new act removes the
objection by establishing in the state
highway department a bureau of
township roads, with a deputy high
way commissioner at its head, and
this bureau will devote it's whole at
tention to the more than $4,000
miles of township roads in the state.
Road building has become a science
in recent years, and the local town
ship supervisors should have and
want help and instructions in such
matters by those competent to do so.
by the provisions of this act the
supervisors in each county will meet
and choose a county superintendent
of roads in exactly the same manner
as school directors choose their
county superintendent of schools.
This superintendent of roads will be
representative of the state highway
department and direct and advise the
township supervisors in their road
work. This has been the weak point
in the past. The township supervisor
has often been inefficient and it is
hoped under this new plan to so aid
him in his work as to obtain more
intelligent effort and more perman-
ent results.
System is Needed.
The state aids the township to
the extent of so per cent, this feat
ure being the same as heretofore.
THE system is needed in Pennsyl-
Vania to round out her big policy.
While the state under the special bill
takes over and constructs these s.
500 miles of main highways, she also
should aid the townships in the main
tenance of the remaining $4,000
miles of roads, which the plain peo-
pie everywhere make daily use of.
The automobile is everywhere and
nearly ruins these earth roads many
times. The state collects the license
money for these automobiles and
should return a portion of it to the
townships for roads. Real estate in
Pennsylvania is burdened by an av-
erage tax of 1 6 mills, while corporate
property is taxed only on the average
four mills.
Some relief must come to the
land owner, and this help to the
towns by the state will accomplish
this on exactly the same system as
the schools have been helped for
years past. Our bill, if it can become
fully operative by a full cash appro-
priation, will do more for the public
roads of Pennsylvania than any 9TH
er legislation up to this time"
Congressman Ainey Conveyed Greet
ings From Ambassador.