Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-02-16

Jhere ought TO De no heSltancy on the part OF the leSlS-
]ature to pass Senator Parry's bill providing for open speci-
1cations in all paving contracts. The Republican party
pledged itself to such legislation in its platform and in many
sections of the state this matter of paving contracts was
made the leading issue. In Middlesex county all the candi-
dates pledged themselves to vote for the Parry bill.
But the patent pavement trust has not been idle. In
addition to the Parry bill there has appeared in the legisla-
ture a bill introduced by Senator Roberts of Burlington coun-
", which makes a farce of the whole paving business. This
bill makes a pretense at fulfilling the party pledge regarding
open specifications, but it means nothing.
The Roberts bill provides that f%reeholders or the State
Highway Commission may, if so desired, designate two or
more kinds of material to be used, and if necessary may
adopt separate plans and specifications for each Kind OF
material so designated, and may advertise for proposal for
doing the work of making the improvement with each kind
Of material so designated; said governing body after receiv-
ing such proposals, may in its discretion determine which
material, under all the circumstances, is best suited for such
Improvement of such road, and may determine that the same
shall be used in the making of such Improvement, and shall
award the contract for making the same to the lowest re-
sponsible bidder upon the material so determined upon
In other words, there is nothing to compel the govern
ing boards to advertise for competitive bids and even when
they do it is left to their own judgment which material to
choose regardless Of what the bids may be. Judging from
past experience, the governing body would find some reason
aahystAe patent material was chest suited - under the Cir
cumstances, for the road to be paved and the public would
be no better off than at present.
The only feature of the Roberts bill that might be term
ed an improvement over the existing law is that it makes it
possible to advertise for bids for different kinds of material
ut the same time whereas the law as it stands today abso-
iutely prohibits such competition between different kinds OF
material.
The Parry bill, however, an exact duplicate of which has
been introduced in the House by Assemblyman Apologize of
i Middlesex, provides for real competition and makes it un-
lawful for any governing body "to directly or indirectly pay
any premium or royalty on any patented or proprietary ma
;terial, specification, process or type of construction, unless
the same be purchased or obtained on open, actual competi-
tive bidding
The Parry bill goes on to provide that in no case shall
ssany patented or proprietary material, specification, process
nr type Of construction be used unless in competition with an
sunpatented pavement or pavements of recognized durable,
modern type of a suitable kind or kinds, having regard to
strength, durability and resistance to wear"
This Parry bill is modelled after the highway construc-
tion act of the state of Oregon, which state is famous for
its excellent system of highways. It $ a bill that would give
New Jersey the best pavement at the least cost, but it would
be most detrimental to the patent pavement trust which has
been growing rich over the fat contracts being given out here.
Naturally, the patent pavement lobby at Trenton is going to
do all in its power TO prevent the Parry bill being passed.
Tt remains to be seen whether the Republican party
can be trusted TO carry out one of its most important pledges
or not.