The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1921-04-21


doing nothing A. Ne ourselves are
doing
We are glad 20 speak Of evidences
that State Highway Commissions
Dir Is taking hold Of his work in a
most promising way We like 10 run
across a mans tracks 70 judge for
ourselves which way he Is going. in
stead Of asking him directly. We md
upon inquiry from others In a posi-
ton 20 know that Commissioner Dir Is
~co-ordinAting" in various ways He
is making an excellent impression in
the different counties He is securing
the cooperation Of men who believe
in good roads. and even those who can
no, take official position in various
counties are promising every aid with
in their power TO ertend. He believes
IN night methods.
II is no secret that when change
in the State commissionership, was
made, II was discovered tina; failure TO
coordinate" promised to extend TO
an effort to paralyze headquarters
with some Of the most Of the erpen-
eaoed helpers missing. That situation
was speedily remedied and every one
of the force OF the State administra-
ton Is behind the movement for i'm
proved roads.
We turn 10 the matter Of federal
aid for State roads with some reluet-
ance because II is so easy TO step back
and let Uncle Sam become responsible
for what we should do ourselves and
make him accountable for the absense
OF what we ourselves should provide.
II we do all we possibly can, and de-
vote State aid 10 things we could not
otherwise do, we shall not only be
pauperized by the acceptance OF Unit
ed States funds to help build our
roads. but we shall also make ire
mendous improvement in our entire
road system.
President Harding in his address TO
Congress declared that, u know OF
nothing more shocking than the mil
lions OF public funds wasted on inn
proved highways wasted because
there was no policy Of maintenance.
The neglect is not universal, but It Is
very near il. There is nothing the
Congress can do more effectively to
end this shocking waste than TO condi-
ton all federal aid on provisions for
That is true, just as we would have
State aid for read construction based
on the adoption Of right methods, in
GLIDING proper drainage, good founda-
tons. right surface materials and
rounded surface, so President Harding
would make II necessary for the State
10 agree 10 keep roads patrolled and in
good repair after the United States
has helped build such
roads.
The true aim OF federal aid should
be to urge States to increased effort
inst as the General Education Board
saws to colleges that ii will give them
certain amounts If they will them
selves raise double the amounts for
the stipulated purposes. This is the
policy adopted in Vermont, which APP
propriates one fund to be used TO
match special road appropriations
made by the cities and towns.
We believe the policy adopted by
President Harding will impart a ire
mendeus impetus to the movement for
better roads throughout the country
He insists that where Congress ex-
tends aid for goods roads the govern
ment should have a federal voice in
the program Of expenditure. He says
Congress shall not make a mere glft|
from the national treasury to the
various States to be pro-rated among
the counties for road Improvement
and he will oppose unscientifc expen-
ditures Of hundreds Of millions under
systems Of road building that have re-
suited in many taxation abuses and
bond issues by road districts
It isa startling fact that the
United States government has thus
FAR appropriated no less than STD
300 600 for highway improvement IN
tie different States, to be matched by
the States on ~ least q dollar Tor
dollar basis, while an additional 49,
boo. 900 has been spent on roads in the
national forests.
Congress is now being urged TO
appropriate SlO0,OO0,OOo annually
turing the next few years for further
ia 10 the states and counties in roa
development. As result Of the agi-
alton started by President Harding 4
Congress will probably investigate the