Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1917-01-11

nial period In addition to the receipts
from the Institutions.
Eieemosynary Institutions.
recommend that the IL boards 20
sether xt1 their treasurers he abol-
ished fc; the following institutions:
The four state hospitals.
The State Confederate Home.
The Statd Federal Home.
Missouri School for the Deaf.
Missouri Scbn0h&. As>1aind o..
Colony for the Feeble Minded and
Epileptics.
Missouri State %Sanitorium.
l suggest that these institutions be
put in charge Of a state board OF con-
troll of say three members. not over
two Of whom shall belong to the same
political party. Such board would not
require any more expense than the
present boards and their local treas
urers. A large saving would come
from a concentration of the buying
for these institutions under one au-
thority.
But aside from the feature of econ
omy and more important than that
would be the increased efficiency in
these institutions. This board should
be given authority to employ all SUI
p~erintendents and other employees on
the basis Of efficiency. These in
stitutions should be removed entirely,
from politics.
The legislature should consider the
advisability Of raising the allowances
for the sustenance of the delinquents
sent to these institutions TO such fig
ures as will meet the extremely high
price Of food. These people should
be furnished wholesome food and be
cared for in a proper n
Permanent Roads.
The agitation for permanent roads
in this state has been continued so
long and has become so universal
that there Ii now a demand that def
mite steps be taken for building a
system of state highways. The nee
essary legislation can be enacted
within 30 days.
Everyone favors this needed ins-
provement for our state and realizes
that we are far behind our progress
sive sister states. Our present sys.
tenn Of control is unsatisfactory and
obsolete, The progressive states
have all created a state highway com.
mission. and have given to the state
large powers Of control over state
highways. And in return for these
measures of control the states have
contributed literally to the construc-
ton of roads.
Our present inadequate road laws
are largely responsible for our lack
of road building.
| favor the creation Of q state high
way commission composed Of four
members, two OF which shall be
chosen from each of the leading polit-
zeal parties, This commission should
serve without compensation. except
travelling and other expenses while
the commission is in session. High
class men with patriotic motives can
be secured to serve on such COM
mission. Missouri has a host of
broad minded, liberal spirited mel
who are deeply interested in this
cause. and who are willing to give
such measure of services as is re-
CURED Of them without compensation.
This commission should be given
broad powers, including authority to
select a state highway engineer and
to pay such salary as would guarantee
a man of high attachments and sue
cessfu) experience. His term of Of
flee should be during the pleasure of
the board, and his compensation
should be fixed by it.
Politics should not enter into road
work. and the law should BE- accord
ingly drawn.
Our roads should be constructed by
joint participation of the national,
state and county revenues. Missouri
must act at once to avail itself OF
the federal aid law. The legislation
necessary to avail Missouri to par
ticipate in this fund should be enacted
during the early part Of the session.
Under the provisions Of the federal
aid law an appropriation Of $4,000.
900 is made for ap%portionment among
the several states during the five
year fiscal period ending June 20.
1921. II the proper legislation is en-.
acted at once Missouri's part OF this
will be S2.545. 500 To avail our.
selves of this federal road act requires
the creation Of a state highway de-
partment with controlling power over
the construction Of state roads, the
completion Of a satisfactory and com.
prehensive period of construction for
the five-year period and the submis-
sion to the secretary of agriculture
for his approval. such projects. sug-
gestions, plans, specifications and es-
Inmates as are necessary and practi-
cable. And we must agree through
this state highway department with
the secretary Of agriculture cn the
roads to be constructed and the
character Of construction. and the
state highway department must fur.
Their agree to maintain the roads con.
structed under the provisions Of this
act.
With a bipartisan commission, the
elimination Of politics, encourage
ment given to us by the national gov.
eminent, and a revision Of II road
laws, I believe that within n year
work on a state wide plan will be far
| enough advanced to reach directly
every county in the state.