Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-04-05
Tuesday, April 5, 1921.
WHAT ARE THE FACTS?

The majority report Oh the Joihs
Committee on Judiciary and Ways
and Bridges for the establishment or
a full time State highway comWission
was accepted in the House Friday
This appears to amount to proposed
increase in State salaries of $1,000
and it is not clear to us what good
purpose this may serve. At least sub
stantial reasons should be required
and if such exist they do not appear
to have been made public.
AS we understand the proposed
measure it would provide for full
time commission consisting or a
chairman, who would receive salary
of $4,000 a year, and two associate
commissioners at $4,000 each, making
a total expense for commissioners
salaries Of $4,000 This commission
would take the place of the present
commission of three men each re-
ceiving a salary of $1,000, so the State
would be paying $1,000 more for its
highway commission than is paid at
present. If expert advice other than
what we now have is wanted one
would suppose all that might be nee
essary could be got for less than $11,-
000
But why is the new commission
needed? We have not found that
good reasons were advanced, at the
hearing before the committee, for
this change Manifestly there should
be a reason and it should be made
known before the State is asked to
increase it's burden. If the original
plan, to have the highway commits
sion supervise the registration and
licensing of all motor vehicles and
operators as we'll as the enforcement
of all laws regulating the same, had
prevailed that might have been rea-
son for the proposed change. The
major portion of this duty has been
left in the office of the secretary OF
state where so far as we can learn, it
has heretofore been handled properly,
and there are many who think 1t
would be logical for the authority is
suing the license to have the power to
revoke it. The Accommodations are
ample for doing the work there, that
department having been specially
equipped for it during the past year.
The present commission is COM
posed of practical men. No one ques-
tons their integrity. 1t has been said
that in the matter of letting contracts
they have shown no favoritism and
Welded to no pull" Presum-
ably there is honest difference
of opinion respecting the wis
dom of some of their decisions. Pre-
sumably, too, there would be like diff
ference of opinion respecting the wis
dom of the acts of a commission cost
ing $1,000 more.
There was some criticism of the
building of the state garage and
storehouse, and possibly it was an err
ror of judgment. If so the present
commission is likely to profit as much
by the mistate as would a new COM
mission. The garage has been built
and the difference between the $4,000
paid the old commission and the $14
900, which it is proposed to pay the
new one would help to pay for the
garage.
We have not seen anything to show
that the present commission have not
faithfully performed the duties i'm
posed by the statutes. or that they
have not laid out a system of state
highways of limited mileage which
accommodates very large percent.
age Of our population. 1t is said, and
we have seen no evidence to the con.
trary, that they have from year tt
eliminated the worst sections of these
highways, SO that today over half OF
the state highway system has beer
reconstructed. The records show
and certainly those should be con.
sidered-that the average cost of this
construction is a little in excess o.
$4,000 per mile, Notwithstanding the
commission built a few miles of high
cost pavements during the last yea,
when prices were at the peak. Blu,
this appears to have been done only
after advice was obtained from sew.
eral hundred prominent men in tn,
state majority Of whom recon.
mended it
It was the present commission thai
urged the patrol service, and though
funds have been limited, we think tn,
general opinion is that it has been &
very wise expenditure Of money
Then, four years ago. the State added
the supervising and construction O
state and county aided bridges to tn,
duties of the commission. It appear.
that during the past three years no
1oac than hnnaraa hoo