398 ANNUAL. REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



MR. BLYHOLDER: It seems to me if we all agree on certain 

 points, if we want to do something, and we seem to agree that we 

 want to eliminate this township ])ai-t of our road-law in the way it 

 exists here, that on the adoption of this recommendation — 



The CHAIRMAN: There is no question before the house at all. 



MR. BLYHOLDER: It seems to me there ought to be something 

 before the house for us to take action upon, or else our good opinions 

 and good suggestions will all go for naught. It seems to me we 

 ought to have a definite point before us; by the adoption of this 

 report it seems to me we have adopted — 



The SECRETARY: It was not adopted, it was simply received and 

 referred to the Committee on Legislation. 



MR. BLYHOLDER: Let us then bring up a resolution stating 

 what we want, and pass it. 



MR. HERR: I move the postponement of this subject until the re- 

 port of the Legislative Committee is heard. 



MR. HUTCHISON: There is just one point that I wish to bring 

 out in regard to the working of this law in the county commission- 

 er's office. In our county they have been making, I think, five 

 pieces of road; one of these pieces is a mile long. The county com- 

 missioners received petitions a short time ago from the farmers' or- 

 ganizations of our county, the grange and other organizations, to- 

 ward reducing the expenditure of money in our county. We are 

 paying a twelve-mill tax and the commissioners refused to sanction 

 the building of these pieces of road that had been recommended by 

 the supervisors. The Highw^ay Commissioner came up and con- 

 vinced them that they had nothing to say about this money, that it 

 was mandatory. They were compelled to pay their share of the 

 money. Our county is heavily in debt and the commissioners are 

 trying to reduce that by heavy taxation. 



Now is this right? Ought not these commissioners to have some- 

 thing to say about the expenditures of public money? Is it right 

 for the supervisors to place these burdens on the county when these 

 roads are of no benefit to the people living in the county except at 

 nearby points. Our people are protesting against this, but there 

 seems to be no remedy, and I thought that it would be proper that 

 this law should be amended so that the county commissioners should 

 have something to say about the expenditure of public money. I 

 think it would be well to strike out the power in the townships. 

 Some one should have some say besides the Highway Commissioner. 

 That is the question that I would like to bring before you and have 

 discussed. Our people, as a whole, are opposed to the p-resent road 

 system and I believe a great many people throughout Pennsylvania 

 are opposed to it. This is an elegant report, containing many good 

 suggestions, and Brother Creasy has given ns an able address on 

 the subject. 



DR. TOWER: There has been a suggestion here that we favor the 

 use of the automobile, or to that effect. Now. as far as I am con- 

 cerned, I would be in favor, if anything, of making their tax larger. 



