The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-02-06
COUNTY UNIT
HIGHWAY BILL
IS HELD BEST
FOR USE HERE
Capitalization Of Improve
ments Through Road Su-
perintendent Would Save
Money, He Believes.
SYSTEM IS WAsTEFUl

Passage Of the county unit road bill
would be the best thing that ever
happened to Wayne county roads, Is
the opinion Of w. o. Seaney, former
county commissioner.
There are two bills now before the
state legislature, both Of which pro-
vide for the collection of all taxes in
cash, but while by one the money
would be spent through the county
highway superintendent's Office, by
the other 1t would go to the township
trustees the same as in the present
system. says Seaney.
OF the two the former is very much
the best, according to the former COM
missioner. The latter keeps the town.
ship roads in the trustees hands and
while the township system was q
good one, in the days when labor was
cheaper than work, and men preferred
to work out their road tax, its day has
past
Now, with the county more prosper
Gus than ever before, 1t Is simply an
aggravation to farmers to have to
stop farm work and work on the
roads. They would far rather pay
cash.
But under the county unit system.
every bit of road work In the county
would be centralized. Labor. material,
expenditures, everything would be in
the hands Of experienced men whose
only work would be the roads.
The township system is an absolute
waste of money, said Seaney. Be-
sides the waste resulting from having
seventeen distinct and often antagon-
istic road systems In the county, un-
der the old system there is a big op-
portuity for carelessness and waste
Instances were related where town
ship trustees would go down to the
scene Of operations for the day and
count he number of teams and men
Mt work. Then they would return to
their own work on the farm and the
laborers would be left absolutely free
TO work or not, as they pleased and
to dump whatever they pleased on
the roads.
Indiana Far Behind.
Under the new system It would be
possible fo- the county superintend-
ent's Office to work out Q comprehen-
sive plan OF road building ana Inn
provement, and with all the money
going to the best advantage. It would
be only few years before the farth-
est and ruttiest road on the county
could be made practically as good as
the state highway.
Indiana is far behind in this mat
ter. said Mr.. Seaney, as more than
half the states already have a law
somewhat like the one proposed for
our state. The bill should pass, and
In Seaney's opinion it will pass.
BY margin Of two votes the Indi-
ana house Of representatives yester-
ray approved the provisions Of the
highway commission bill as originally
drawn. placing all money derived
from automobile license fees in the
hands of the proposed commission.
The test came after the submis-
sion Of a majority and first and Sec
ond minority reports of the road COM
mittee. The members OF the commit
tee, with one exception, were in agree
ment upon all other provisions and
amendments to the measure.
Knapp and Lafuze voted for the ma
jority report. in favor of letting the
counties have the automobile license
funds. The first minority report, fav-
oring retention of the proposition de-
the state highway commission, was
adopted.
No Senate Action.
Action will not be taken on the ad.
ministration highway bill in the sen.
ate roads committee In view Of the
fact that the house committee failed
to change the measure materially in
It's report today. Senator Dobyns. the
chairman, said today his committee
will wait until the house measure is
passed by that body and amend 1t,
rather than the senate bill. He said
the committee members agree with
the house committee on practically
every change in the bill except reduc.
tion of salaries to the standard set
by the house.
Good road enthusiasts in the senate
Continued on Page Eight.