South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-09-03
Other Editors Than Ours
THE HIGHWAY SUIT.
Indiana Daily Times

Whether the attack the consttutonality of the
highway commission law Brazil succeeds fails
the responsibility for ii and any public inconvenience
that follow will devolve on the Goodrich-Hays
administration.
The people of Indiana good roads They
willing that millions of dollars be expended for good
roads and the only thing they have insisted on hav-
ing is good roads honestly built where they will
benefit the public
The conduct of the road building program by the
state highway commission has not met with public
approval Sufficient of it has been disclosed to enable
the public TO form idea Of both the program and
the results that will be obtained from the commits
sion's efforts. Apprehension that millions dollars
will be wasted in the carrying OF this program in
general in the state 1t is alleged in the suit recently
filed that the expenses of the commission TO Aug
20 have been S47,46Os2 and not mile of road has
been completed There has of mystery
surrounding the commission since il
tablished Facts 10 which the public should have
ready hard to obtain No publicity at
taches those things which the director OF the
commission does made public.
Citizens in whose neighborhood il is proposed 10
build roads not allowed voice in the designa-
ton OF the kinds of roads they prefer Their protests
are not treated with much consideration. They do
not come in contact with the commission force in
the statehouse and there is much left surmise
that had better be made plain.
To date the highway commission has not been
able its way clear order the construction
of any other kind of road than cheap concrete.
This OF course antagOniZes the brick interests the
asphalt interests and every citizen who believes that
there better pavements than concrete and that
conditions of traffic places indicates clearly the
Of other material than concrete
The Times is not prepared to say whether
the attack the constitutionalty OF the road law
a by the business interests who have been
offended by the commissions partially 10 concrete.
Tx Is really matter of importance The question
is whether not the commission is legally created
and empowered 10 spend millions a manner that
is not pleasing TO great part OF the taxpayers.
The complaint alleges that the highway commission
has contracted for 1929 miles of road a OF
$2.652,6S2sO and that it proposes 10 contract for
700 miles more Of road estimated OF s24,-
100000 and then for 5000 miles of road esti-
of sos .OeO. 900 This a pretentiouo
program and one in the carrying out of which pub
lie confidence must he retained.
So far the public highway commission OF India
has not done that which vital the sue
OF the good roads programs has created
a spirit OF confidence in its program.
The wonder Is not that the consutUuonatv OF
the law has been attacked but that other proceed
ings have not been started before this
A state administration that "a pable O so
ing would have conducted the afair OF the highway
commission in such a manner that there would have
been no inclination on the part OF any hight
the good roads program.
The suit at Brazil has o greater significance than
that which j. brought by its existence
The Goodrich Hayes good road program has
been conducted in manner that inspired c.
tanned public confidence