The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1913-05-24
NO RESPECTER OF THE LAW

THE more one looks into the record
the present State Road Commission is
making in building the Elkton- Perryville
road, the more one is led to wonder
what is the use of going to the trouble of
having the Legislature pass directory
Acts at all The WING called attention
last week to the Commissions defiance of
the law in the matter of charging up the
$4,000 provided for this road in Chapter
81 of the Acts of Assembly.
But this is only one of the various
ways in which the Commission politely
but completely ignores the legislative
provisions for this road, and proceeds TO
construct it as it pleases.
Section of this Act DIRECTS the
Commission ito survey, repair and re-
construct about TEN MILES of that road
known as the Old Government Post Road
which PROCEEDS EASTWARDLY from
the town of Perryville, ETC., ETC., and to
utilize in this repair and reconstruction,
SAND, CLAY AND GRAVEL in their
proper proportion, etc, etc, and con-
struct first class road EIGHTEEN FEET
WIDE WITH THE MATERIALS NAM
ED" Now watch the Commission work.
They proceed to build FROM ELKTON
WESTWARDLY and will not come with
in ten miles of Perryville-in fact have
already announced that they will stop
building at North East, simply scraping
and roundingup the road from North
East to Perryvile They will stop at
North East, building only about miles
of road instead of about % miles" as
the Act provides, because their money
will be gone and $40, 900 MORE BESIDE,
and this happens because they are build
ing a highly expensive road of concrete
instead of building of the materials they
were directed to use in the Act, for
which same reason they are building it IA
feet wide, instead of is feet wide. When
the Editor of the WING asked the Chair
man of he Commission why, they pro-
ceeded to thus entirely ignore and violate
the express directions of the Legislature
in this Act, authorizing the road, the an
swer was We'll, the Commission thought
it best to build it the way we are doing.
To which we naturally rejoined, But
who is the authority in these matters;
your Commission is only the creature OF
the Legislature, appointed to carry OUT
the Legislatures directions, and yet you
assume to usurp the Legislatures au-
thority, announcing that you, the crea-
lures, are greater than your creator, and
will do as you please That is exactly
what you are doing by your action. 1t is
also what the former and present Com
mission, both, have done in the matter Of
exceeding the legislative appropriations
for road work in this State. The Legis-
lature says I'VE hereby appropriate and
set aside, etc the sum of five million
of dollars" The Commission says, I'VE
hear you, but we will spend eight mil
lions" Now what the writer of these
articles would like to know is, who is the
boss of this business? We were under
the impression that the people of the
State, through their duly elected Repre-
sentatives in the Legislature, were en-
titled to say what their pleasure is in
such matters But the State Roads Com
missions proceed on different theory
on the theory that the Commission is
not in the least bound by Legislative au-
thority, but is at entire liberty to do ms
it pleases-to build roads of marble, If il
like, and to spend in the building thereof
any unlimited amount of money it may
see fit-the Legislatures be hanged.
1t looks as if it were high time some
body were dragging the Road Commission
back to an acquaintance with, and re-
spect for, the law under which it oper-
ates.