The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1921-10-06
The PATROL COMMIT.
TEE INDICATED

As things are developing in the
state, the question Of hArd-surfaoed
reads is almost certain 70 b public
OF campaign issue next spring Per-
haps no candidate for governor will
be found who viii have .the nerve" 70
run on the issue Of permanent roads
and state roads, but il is practically
certain that senators and representa-
tiyes will be elected on that issue and
move certain that others viii be elect
ed on the Bates plan Of gravel roads
as against cement, pitch-bound nacad-
am or some other expensive type Of
hard finished roads.
The advocates Of the latter are
growing every day, but their PROPOSE
ton not only runs into bond issues and
sinking funds Of millions, but before
they 20 very far will certainly be con,
frontcd by the charge that the cement
or Tarvia interests are behind their
campaign.
One need 20 no further than the
downfall of the late lamented patrol
committees plan TO see where that
would bring up, yet all students Of
highway progress whose memories are
working will remember that many Of
the essential working features Of the
patrol committees bill are now law.
II is also true, however, that they were
set back two years by an untruthful
and senseless allegation that the
concrete trust" WAS behind the COM
mittee and putting up the money for
its work.
The actual fact is that the funds
were contributed by public-spirited
Vermonters and that, far from being
a profitable enterprise, il ended sew
eral thousand dollars "in the red"
II we are to have a "hard-roads"
campaign, let it be along lines that
cannot possibly be suspected. Let 1t
be conducted by Vermonters whom we
know and who know Vermont and let
the candidates be men of such char
acter and standing as will place them
above suspicion as to motive and in
terest.
The motive, common TO all who are
interested in good roads, should be
public progress and nothing else; and
the interest-the tax payers interest
and no one else's.
Whatever the result, the resultant
discussion and legislative clash will be
Of benefit, provided always it can be
kept on that high plane Of public ser
vice and separated absolutely from
any private or commercial interest
Rutland Herald.
As the Herald says, there never was
a more untruthful and senseless
charge than the one that the concrete
trust" was back Of the Patrol Com
mittee. AS a matter Of fact it was no
part Of the program Of the Patrol
Committee to favor any particular
kind Of road. One Of the principal
features Of its proposed bill was to
provide for an investigation Of this
very matter, and such an investigation
would have been Of great value.
1t is true that representatives Of the
cement trust and also Of the
asphalt trust" invaded the state at
about that time and with an eye to
business. The asphalt and road oil
men figured that their best bet was
Stod Bates, while the cement men felt
hat any real road progress would be
Tor their benefit, but any help they
gave or tried to give was unsolicited
and unwelcome.
As the Herald suggets, what we
leed is a full discussion and fair
by Vermonters to decide
What should be done with our road
problem. The Patrol Committee cam
,aign was backed by Vermonters, but
he fact that trained organizers from
without the state were employed
seemed TO initiate against its success.
Is a matter Of fact the company from ,
without the state, whose sole business
s organizing and conducting cam
,aigns, very "sportily" took a large
hare Of the financial loss because its
ice president was loyal Vermonter.