Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-18
Many Millions Wasted.

eTQI1eIll OIlCldiS tndl we are HeeuleSSiy
ing or wasting over $500, 100000 each year
because OF our bad roads, making mud
tax of over 81, OOO, 900 FOR every working day
In the year and an individual tax of nearly
s. each year for eyery person in this coun-
| try; 49,,
| loss and takes NO account of the Incl
dental disadvantages, bdscomforts and in
conveniences of bad roads, which would
| probably exceed the direct moneyed loss.
| Besides this, the increased values of farms
reached by good roads would amount to an
! enormous sum. In New York and other
states this increase in selling values has
| equaled from $50 to 500 an acre in many
| cases.
| IAN increase of only So an acre on the
| estimate of 640,000,OO0 acres for the coun-
| try would amount to something like $1,000
100000, or more than enough to build the
| best and finest main roads in the world
about 100000 miles-throughout the entire
| country several times over, and by recently
developed methods In road building by
which the best of roads can be built for
| cost which should not exceed ali average
| of 81 600 a. mile. The interest on this sum
| of S., 900, 600 900 at per cent would build
| all the mainly travelled roads in the coun-
try in less than ten years at a cost of only
| 40 per cent of the increased farm value.
Increase of Farm Values.
From this it appears that we would
| ceive benefits from improving our main
roads in the increase Of farm values alone
equal to two and one-half fold, $50 per
| cent of their cost.
"a direct saving of 5000. 900 a year,
figured at per cent interest, would carry a
cost of S12 500 100000 This is over six
| times, or 600 per cent, of the necessary
costs of the main roads for the entire
country.
IF the indirect comforts benefits and
savings will equal the direct saving, we
will have another item of 5000. 100000. This
roads equal to something like $50 600 600, 600,
or fifteen times their cost. The interest
from this sum at Z per cent would pay the
cost of building the finest and best main
roads in the world throughout the entire
country each and every year.
These benefits are SO enormous that 1t Is
difficult to rightly comprehend them with
out making some comparisons. The bene-
fits of $50 coo O0O, 900, for instance are near
ly 100 times the amount Of the cost of the
Spanish war, and certainly appear to make
this the greatest economic question before
this country at the present time.
Now what is being done to meet this
enormous problem? In the early part of
the past century, when our country was
propriated some $35, OOO, 600 for national aid
| in road building, since which time most of
our roads have largely taken care Of them
| selves and their deplorable conditions nave
attained a worldwide reputation.
Niggardly Appropriations.
ITO meet this enormous and important
problem Congress at its last session appro-
| priated the trifling sum of $4,000 and only
| $40, GOO the year previous, at which time an
increase Of that sum to $4,000 was de-
| feated by a close vote by the energetic
| efforts Of our progressive chairman of the
agricultural comrn3ttee.s1t
"At the first session of this Fifty-seventh
| Conf,ress the lamPnted Mr.. Otey of yir-
| ginisl introducedIa. bill for 500 coo GOO for
IL.
| modest beginning to meet the enormous in-s
| terests involved III thsroad question, which
| appear to reach values of nearly 300 times
| that sum. This bill Isl still In the hands of
1.-The first bill presented to the House at
| this session was by Mr.. Brownlow Of Ten
nessee for very comprehensive and prac-
| tical system of improving our country roads
| and appropriatingt sum of $40 OOO-
| 600 to be used wfthzEequal sums paid by
| the localities or states In which the roads
are improved. II this bill becomes a law
| 1t should inauglratev a road movement
| which, in a short times would result in this
| country's having the finest and best roads
| to be found anywhere In the world and
| save hundreds of millions of dollars to the
people of the country each year.
| 1T is evident that, If this stupendous
| question is to be rightly met in the spirit
| of economy, progress and enterprise so
| 1t will be necessary for our legislators to
| give it much more comprehensive and care
| full attention than heretofore.
Should Not Hesitate.
1.-The idea of hesitating to spend s1O0, OOO-
| 600 or several times that sum in order to
| attain benefits several hundred times as
| great is Inconsistent with broad-minded
| craftsmanship. especially when the entire
outlay should be saved in few years
I "A business man conducting his affairs in
this manner would Justly receive universal
| derision and ridicule. Evidently the patriot
/ move them to urge their renreseut afiyes to