Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-06-20
Keep to the One objcct-Good Roads


Z OR one purpose, and that alone. the Cen
eral Assembly Of Virginia has been called
to meet in extraordinary session. That pur-
pose is the building of good roads. Success
of the session in achieving its object rests in
great measure, perhaps wholly, on the single
ness of mind and the determination with
which the lawmakers hold to that course and
refuse to permit themselves to be diverted
from it by extraneous matters Citizens Of
Virginia had nothing in mind beyond the
building of roads when they ranged them
selves solidly in favor of the special session.
They are intent on the accomplishment of
that one great task and it is far from their
wishes that any subjects which have naught
TO do with the paramount issue be introduced
at this time. The call. of course, is general
and consideration OF other matters would be
within the law, but certainly it would be con-
trary to the popular desire and not i'll keep
ing with the intent underlying the calling
of the session.
The special session is limited by law to
thirty days. That time, devoted exclusively
to good roads, is none too long for thorough
study. discussion and development of the road
plan which it is hoped and prayed will mark
the inception of new and better era for
Virginia. A carefully-thought-o program.
covering the raising of funds and the actual
work Of construction, will be ready for pre-
is now being shaped up by the legislative
committee of the Virginia Good Roads Asso-
citation. Other plans will be forthcoming,
and there promises to be more than enough
work to exhaust all the time available. This
is no small task that the Legislature is ap-
preaching, and it should be approached with
due thought for all that is involved. 1t
means the establishment Of system of roads
which shall open up the State to the world
it never before has been opened; it means
the initial expenditure Of more than 100000
600, and 1t means that taxes must be levied
TO meet the Federal appropriations These
taxes must be laid equitably so there shall
be no undue or unequal burdens on any per-
any interest. Surely there is task
sufficiently momentous to occupy the minds
and the energies of the lawmakers for thirty
days.
Already rumors are afoat Of many matters
having nothing to do with roads that it is
proposed to introduce. There is talk of
political log-rOlling Of one kind and another,
there is a suggestion OF action on the Anthony
suffrage amendment. there is a proposal to
revise election laws, and there is much gossip
OF Investigations Of certain Offices and de-
partments, not one Of which is germane to
the one thing for which the Assembly is to
meet. All of these things can wait until the
regular session in January, and that with
injury TO no one and with no detriment to
the State at large. To introduce any one Of
them at the coming session would be to do
violence to the wishes of the people and an
outright breach of the trust which they re-
pose in their representatives. They demand
that il be real good roads session, that the
Assembly demonstrate, now that its great op-
portunity is at hand, what it is able to ac-
compish for Virginia, and that all other con-
siderations for this brief period be laid aside
and forgotten.