The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1921-01-28
LEGISLATIVE
ACTIVITIES At
MONTPELIER
Continued from first page

from 100000 to $l50,O0O to be ex.
pended upon so-called back roads.
Mr.. Davis of Hartford, chairman of
the committee ON highways and
bridges, opposed this increase on the
grounds that the money is needed to
greater degree on the main highways.
He quoted figures to show what the
receipts of the automobile department
have been during the last six years
and what the amount expended on
back roads and on main highways has
been. Up to 1917, the back roads had
only received $4,000; then it was in
creased to $4,000, and now the propo-
sition is to double that amount. Mr.
Davis said that he did not want to
oppose making the back roads as good
as possible, but it is estimated that
there will be an increase Of 200 miles
of selected highway in the state this
wear. and the funds to cover the main
tenance of this type of highway will
not be greatly increased. He felt that
the greater need was on the main high
ways.
Mr.. Butler of Fairfax said that there
were some figures that Mr.. Davis had
overlooked in connection with the ques-
ton, and that was the amount spent
on the roads per mile, and he pro
ceeded to give these figures and to ar
que from them that more should be
spent upon the back roads. He thought
that roads should be built for the peo
pie of the state rather than for tour
lists who come in from outside.
Mr.. Bates of Highgate said that he
lived in town with l05 miles of high
way, a good part Of which is not fit to
travel over The small towns must
have help in road building for their
back roads, he said. In his opinion the
amount asked for this work is not
enough The state has been at work
for many years, he said, cutting down
a hill here and widening a road there.
Most any man who owns a flivver
nowadays can climb most any hill in
Vermont" said the gentleman from
Highgate, "and if sober, as most of us
have to be these days, he can turn out !
most anywhere. What we need is to |
use this money for grading and ditch |
ing to put our roads in better shape"
Mr.. Blood took the floor and held /
it for nearly quarter of an hour. He /
said that he was elected by the com
mon people and that he came to the
legislature to represent the common
people He said that the Rutland Her
aid had picked up some of his state
ments and made remarks about them
to the effect that he (Mr. Blood) would
probably not be the only legislator in
Montpelier, that there would be 246
others there to help make the laws,
that it would be good thing if some
body would take the gentleman from
West Windsor back into a corner and
tell him something.
I'VE are in position where we do
not have to let the Rutland Herald or
anybody else take us aside and tell
lis what we can do" said Mr.. Blood,
warming to his subject (applausel
1--WE are asking for no more than what
is ours" he continued. 81 want to tell
the highway commissioner and any
body else that we were not sent up
like dressed chickens to be handled by {
a commission merchant. We actually
pay in all we are asking for here" {
Mr.. Potter Of Pownal favored-athe
Mr. Bush of Benson \
backed mp the committee on highways {
and bridges with figures regarding the {
amount which has been spent on taclI J
roads during the last few years. Mr. X
Dyer said that he thought the back
roads should be improved, but that \
100000 is enough to be appropriated [
for this work
Mr. Warner of Ludlow said that the I
trouble j. that all of the small towns
do not appropriate as much as the {
state calls for for roads Ludlow has a