Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-11-10
CAPITAL GOSSIP
What's Billion Dollars Among Proposals Spend
for Public Roads Augur Fight in Congress-Abou Ben Penny
vania Not Lead All the Rest in Road Construction.
Especial Washington Correspordsnoe.J

'on CorreSpONdeuceJ
fact, brought out by very careful investi-
CATION of conditions in the average rural
district, that 20 per cent. OF the roads carry
so per cent. of the traffic. The present prob
lem of the American people is to improve
and properly surface something like 100000
miles of road, and this can be done, under
proper direction and freed from the blight
ing effects Of political management, at a
comparatively low cost.
TN 1904 the cost of road construction in the
i United States amounted to s79000000;
last year something over S2O5 900 900 was eX-
pended i'm money and labor on the public
roads of the country The cause is making
great headway and the more il is preached
the faster Il grows. "Our chief troubles"
said Doctor Page, "are not lack of zeal or
excess of penurlousness, but rather a defec-
tive system, a widespread ignorance of
proper methods a good-natured disregard of
the dictates of economy and a very general
practice of playing politics with road funds.
The roads are absolute economic necessities
and cannot for a moment be considered
Legitimate spoils of the politician" To take
them out of politics, Doctor Page would place
the management of the public roads of State
Importance under the control of nom
partisan, non-paid commission, holding office
partly eX-offlClo and partly through appoint
ment. He would require this commission to
choose competent engineer, responsible to
no political party, as executive head of the
work of construction all of his subordnates
to be selected through competitive examina-
tions to prove their fitness for the service
In the handling of the county roads the same
policy should be followed, and instead of "the
present many-headed, loosely constructed
politically dominated county organizations"
there should be a small and compact body
of competent men, with such an organiza-
ton at least S5O,OOO,OOO would be saved
annually on tho basis Of the present outlay.
ITO MAKE any plan of general road i'm
L provement effective within reasonable
expenditures, the roads should be classified
according to traffic requirements, and such
classification would do much to neutralize
the effects of petty politics. Under such
classification from to 10 per cent of the
main trunk line roads, or roads used heavily
for traffic between county and State and ma
tional systems would take care of the traffic;
from 10 to 20 per cent. of secondary roads
would care for the business of local markets,
and the rest would provide for unmportant
feeders and neighborhood roads, The ex-
penditures on road construction should be
OIL
roads, which element would also determine
the classification Of the roads.
THE question Of financing the roads is Of
L prime Importance. What is needed first
is suitable legislation, an adequate system,
ample funds, competent men, and let the rest
of the work alone" Appropriating money for
the building of roads without making pro-
vision for the maintenance of the roads after
construction is waste. The issuing of 'Iong-
term bonds for short-term improvements" Is
unsound business. To issue q 4O-year bond
to build road. the surface of which will
wear out in 10 years is folly. The life of the
bond should never exceed more than double
the life of the perishable part of the i'm
provement"; proper provision should be
made for the payment of the bonds and of
the interest due; adequate maintenance from
the completion of the road should be COM
pulsory and revenues be provided accord
ingly. To assure the maintenance of the
roads there must be constant and capable
supervision, and such supervision would not
be possible under political control.
ENCOURAGING progress has been made
IL in road construction during the last few
years in some of the States; but Abou Ben
Pennsylvania does not lead all the rest,
mores the pity. The convention in Atlanta
will give fresh impetus to the cause. The
convention will be composed of men, gem
orally who have experience and knowledge,
and It is expected that plans will be formed
which will contribute to the building of a
consistent system for the improvement of the
highways OF the continent. The subject con-
Germs every household in the country and
every business man In town.
RANDALL