The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1921-12-23
Would PUT ALL ROADS
IN STATE BOARDS CARE
SENATOR HARRISON 70 FILE BILLS
ELIMINATING COUNTY CONTROL EN-
TIReLY.


( State Senator Orlando Harrison. OF
/ Worcester county will submit to the
+ next Legislature proposition in con
necti0n with the State roads system
/ that Is as revolutionary as was Gov
ernor Crothers proposition for the
establishment of the present high
ways. Moreover. he has been assured
the backinE Of people from all parts
of the State, and believes the Legisla-
tnro VIII pass his measures
These provide for taking the county
roads absolutely cut Of politics. turn
ing them over for construction and
maintenance 70 the State Roads Com
mission and putting that body In con
Z troll OF every foot of public highways
% inc State TRis viii il adopted. On
tlreiy eliminate the county roads en-.
Elneers and the more or less make
shin roads organizations that are
maintained by most Of the counties
Hlg savings Predicted.
The noR plan also Will cut ont what
a generally recognized as the biggest
source nf waste ol The taxpayers
money, and will make serious inruads
ii the political organizations ~ most
~ the counties for the ability OF
county noiiticai leaders tu put men
and carts ~ work on the roads. o. do
little bpsldoa draw their per diem
charges. has been for many years one
of ihe hnlWarks Of the county ma
chimes of whatever party that hap.
pens a. hr IN control
Senator Harrison said yesterday
that be expected 2 great deal ~ np.
position from tho politicians IN the
C6un,ica rs hts proposition. but he al
50 expected the backing Of the tax
payers generally and the taxpayers
prRgnlzations IN all parts 81 the State.
There are 1910 miles ~ Improved
and gnlmurayvd roads Ia the counties
outside ihc roads IN the State roads
system Most ni this county mileage is
3nf unimnr0ved Or dirt roads II " on
these dirt roads that most 0f the
county appropriation for roads main
lbuAnne q aMnnt
WIN iuirodncc Tive Bllis
senator Hhrrieuns contention "a
that most 90 the money so spent q
wasted, thal Al Taxpayer gots nu real
isenoht from 4 tle purposes ~ nitro
daee tao ND Afea dealing with thia
situation Tie aksl wlli a. = resolution
asking the io.se co1ntea 20 send ~
the senate I staAgmeni % tho amount
~ money ttev haze levied and uxpend-
ed Tor thetf foadst each year for the
lasl 10 ysss
on Tccpist oi thle Information the
average aHnuni amount expended for
10 years II each ooraty wtil be- iixed
as that reuntt's allotment and biii
win bn hffrred reaait MS Il 60 appro
priaio Bi leas, that ma0h annually FOR
reads This moneg Sill be turned over
"a iht state Roads Commission or to
the State rsNsuFer suhiect 20 the
draft ot the Roads Cnmu salun Tor ex
prnaltufes by the Roads Commission
10 lhe county appfopriating H.
senntaF Harrison Is considering thr
adyisubilny O. requiring zach county
u Increase itt appropriation hy a def
lpitc percentage say . per cent an
nbaily. this increase or anY other in
cf,Hsc which the county may make 10
IL msirhed hy tde State or Il might
baA Ap0Bsihlr tn have the entire county
aHkrupriatiun matched hy the State
State Beard in Fnll tharVe
TIE point g. however that all the
moHpy raised by the counties for
roads wili. 81 his bill passes. he spent
by tac State Roads Commission and
not IS The counties direct The dirt
roads viii be kept IN repair and any
surplus over the amount required for
repair and maintenance will be ex-
pended In the building OF hard roads
In speakins of his proposition yes
lterday senator Harrison said
"A large part of the money raised
hy taxation IN the counties and spent
for road work is wasted. More of II
goes Tor the maintenance OF political
machines than goes tor road improve
ment Nv plan IL 70 have the Roads
Commission take over all the roads IN
I the State and maintain them. the
counties paying for this work about
as much as they pay now. with peg
haps q small percentage Of annual in
crease
Il believe the Roads Commission
can keen even the dirt roads In much
better shape than they are kept now
and for less money, 80 there viii he
available each year a county fund for
hard roads. which fund the State can
supplement- as Il does nov under the
Lateral Roads act,
4 VIII Tut 0nt Overhead.
Il believe this plan will give US
good roads all over the State Even
the dirt roads can be made into good
roads with proper handling and man
agement. Tho State Roads Commits
sion has the equipment, ID has the orr
ganlsation and 4 has the ability 20 DO
this work better than any other agen-
cy in the state
ny having the commission do II
each county will be relieved Of the
overhead OF its own organization.
waste Will be cut out, and believe
We Will get better results FOR our
money than we get now. ! expect con
siderable opposition from political
managers. but the day OF the pollti-
cal machine, maintained by keeping a
, lot OF bangers-on drawing money
from the roads funds and doing little
, or no woeK Is passing.
"The women Of the State are de-
. mandlng the Improvement OF their
roads. Many OF them are now driving