The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1913-05-19
URGE PASSAGE
OF BOND BILL
Connecticut Good Roads Asso-
citation Explains Pending
Measure
Says There Is Effort to Hamper
New Highway Commits
SiOner

1rf9 connecticut GOOD Roads ASSO-
citation. composed of Business Mems
Associations and Chambers of Com
MERGE throughout the State, has issued
through its legal COMMITTEES headed
by Charles M. Robinson, chairman, a
circular which reviews the good roads
situa ton of the State and the effort
to secure an ample appropriation for
the carrying on of the work from the
Legislature, and also points out the
source of great deal of the opposi-
ton against tine measure advoca ted. by
the new highway commissioner, En-
gineer Bennett. This circular is a
somewhat caustic arraignment of the
method of doing business in the Gem
eral Assembly.
The association argues that good
roads are one of the best Investments
which the State can take up from the
viewpoint of economy and profit, ex-
plains the bills which have been pre-
scented, the one proposed by the asso-
citation which was rejected by the
committee on Roads, Rivers and
Bridges and the bill presented by
Highway Commissioner Bennett call
ing for a bond issue Of $4,000, 900 for
use during the next two years in i'm
proving the roads of the State, and
which the committee on Appropria-
lions, without a hearing has arbitrar-
lily cut in half. This treatment is
contrasted with the liberality which
was displayed toward the former COM
missioner who was able to secure am
pie funds with which to work the
main lines of the State well as to
assist the towns in making road i'm
provements. The attention of the
members of the association is called
to these tactics and they are urged to
get busy with their representatives at
once.
The following paragraph is quoted
from the circular:
Gin passing the general a.ppropria-
tons bill through the Senate on the
18th, gross missta tements of fact in
were made. It was argded in the
Senate that the Legislature should not
fix the roads on which appropriations
should be expended. Translated, this
last argument means that the field is
to be left open SO that the successor to
Highway Commissioner Benentt, who
will be good machine man If the
hopes of the combine are carried out,
will be left in a position to trade
highway a1lotn ents for votes on vari-
Gus measures that are supported by
the boys In a word, the Legisla-
ture has not the wisdom to say where
the money of the State shall be spent
The final word should be left to the
boys. If you do not approve these
tactics, get busy, and get busy at once
HARTFORD
Continuing, the circular says:
A majority Of the committee on APP
preparations, without granting any
men of this State an opportunity TO be
heard, reported into the Senate their
measure FALLING for 3,4o0, 600 for all
highway purposes for the next two
years. including repairs, office ex-
penses, culyerts, st1rfacing and any
highway building possible.
t'Highway Commissioners Bennett
states that if this sum Of So, 1000 is
given to him and no more he can
merely repair and rebuild the present
mileage under his charge and can hope
to build no new roads Between Oc-
tober L, 1909, and October 1, 1911, Com
Macdonald spent, as shown
by the books Of the State treasurer
81, 7S6. 67541. On October 1, 1911, he
had to his credit for expenditure dur
ing the next two years IS, SS7, 1856 AZ.
All this last named sum has been ex-
pended, or contracted for, 80 that, on
October 1st next the present Highway
Commissioner will have only the funds
appropriated during the next two
weeks. Is it now fair to the people
of this state or to the present High
way Commissioner himself to cut the
q ppropriation for the next two years
down to so per cent. of what his pre-
deceesor had during the previous two
years? Can you expect that a great
Iy increased mileage of roads VIII be
kept In repair and improved with this
smaller sum of money? 1t is a mani
fest impossibility. If the work of the
APPROXIMATIONS committee is approved
by the Senate and House it means
that the hands of Commissioner Ben
net Will be tied by a lack of funds and
that the State of Connecticut instead
of progressing will at best stand
still.
'.In the year 1912 alone Commissioner
spent $745, 593.16 for repairs
of highways. Does this Approprda-
tons committee expect MT. Bennett to
do with 800, 600 a, year more work
than his predecessor did with $745,OOo.
or is it inside politics that are con-
trolling this absurd recommendation
IF Connecticut is to progress, the
state must appropriate the five mill
lion dollars called for by this bill of
the fffenwsy CuTnnif ssfonef, and must
in ADDITION appropriate sufficient
funds to pay the running expenses of
the Commissioners office"
The spring months often find wo-
man tired out, with pain in back. hips