The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1914-09-22

every county road building official is
at liberty to take advantage of the
states testing laboratory, so that the
counties, in building their roads, may
exercise the same care. This labora-
tory service is free of cost to the cOun-
ties and makes unnecessary the main
tenance of 4 laboratory in each Of the
eighty-eight counties OF the state.
What Under County Plan7
With each OF the lightweight coun-
ties of the state working independent
ly of each other. endless confusion,
duplication of effort, the construction
of roads which would not connect
with the roads of adjoining counties,
greatly increased cost, lack of uni
formity and serious loss of time would
undoubtedly follow. The road build
ers of one county would have no
means of knowing the exact plans of
improvement contemplated by anoth-
er county. They would know nothing
Of proposed width Of roadways and
bridges, or OF the kinds of materials
TO be used. The result would be the
construction of crazy quilt or patch
work system Of roads which would
retard the growth and prosperity Of
the state to such a degree that it
would be set back a quarter OF a cen
tury. Coming down to the matter of
cost it is quite obvious that the same
figures could not be obtained on short
sections of roads such as would be
given out for improvement by each of
the eighty-eight counties, as is possi-
BILE under the present system, with
central bureau or department in a po-
sition to ask bids on several miles or
more, running through a number OF
counties. Again. under the present
system, contractors and material men
require only a small selling force,
having to deal with but one buying
source, while under the county plan
they would be compelled to maintain
force large enough to include eighty
eight different purchasing sources,
and every dollar of this additional ex-
pense would be tackled on to the price
of the road to be improved
Federal Aid For Ohio.
The federal Office OF public roads at
Washington has repeatedly declared
itself in favor of the statewide system
OF road betterment. Recently Ohio
was fortunate enough to obtain s120.-
00C out OF total appropriation of
100000 for the improvement of the
country's post roads-and which g
nearly twice the amount awarded to
any other state-as federal aid in the
improvement of the old National road
between GAINESVILLE and Hebron, about
twenty-four miles This would not
have been possible under the county
plan. Ohio has reasons to expect mill
lions OF federal aid in road building
in the near future. with the passage
OF the ShacklefOrd or other road i'm
provement bills now pending In the
national congress II might not par
ticipate in a single dollar OF the great
funds to he awarded the various
states if we return to the county plan.
thus serving notice upon the federal
government and to our sister states
that we have fOrsaken the plan adopt-
ed by all of the progressive states and
have returned to the methods of the
mound building Indians and the buf.
falo. AS q direct result of the state
being able to contract for the i'm
provement of the whole Of tha. part
OF the old National road running
through Muskingum and Licking cOun-
ties. a saving of about $4,000 was eff
feeted. This is only illustrative of the
economy to be found in that plan
which permits the entering into con-
tract for many miles at a time.
The county plan will not do. II has
been condemned by every road build
ing expert, by the federal government.
by every progressive state and BY
every student of the subject every
where. 1t is costly. cumbersome, i'm
practical and meaningless. The coIn-
ty commissioners themselves, gener-
ally speaking. do not favor ii, for a
year ago. at their annual meeting held
in the city of Columbus, when il was
proposed that the automobile or main
tenance fund be divided equally
among the counties. instead of leav-
ing it with the state highway depart
ment. as at present, not a single vote
Mde NttSl lu iANOE OF the resolution
even its author finally voting against
IL
On the other hand. the state system
OF highway improvement has met with
nationwide cOmmendation and ap-
prOval. Ii means the construction OF
economical. practical and beautiful
roads connecting anywhere and every
where. II means perfect cooperation
between township. county. state and
nation. II means that the people will
get the best possible results at the
least possible cost. II means the elm
tnation of the opportunity for graft
and corruption. for the reason that the
state checks against the counties and
the counties check against the state.
And finally. the continuation of the
system in Ohio will mean that mat
ters OF road Improvement win be kept
out of politics; that the health, happi-
ness and prosperity Of tha community
viii be better served. and that the
state will maintain its present proud
position in the vanguard Of the pro-