Excerpt: The present trend of road affairs throughout the various States is toward a reform in administration and the adoption of a more progressive policy. The old system of paying road taxes in labor has proved inefficient and is being rapidly discarded for the better plan of requiring all road taxes to be paid in cash. It is also apparent that the State will ultimately be the unit of administration and will largely control and direct road work in the counties and townships. A reduction in the number of road officials is also inevitable, and knowledge and skill in road building will be required of each official. The necessity for skilled supervision is being recognized in every State, and is being met by the appointment of competent highway engineers. In many States the State highway departments employ a corps of highway engineers, and different counties throughout these States also employ county highway engineers, while in many of the States not having State highway departments the counties are engaging the services of skilled engineers to supervise their road work. This step marks one of the greatest strides yet made toward the abandonment of old and inferior methods of highway administration, construction, and maintenance. All of these reforms, as well as other reforms in methods of construction and maintenance and a gradual improvement of road conditions, are being rapidly brought about, and largely through the agitation and work of the United States Office of Public Roads, the State highway departments, and the various highway associations throughout the country.