The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-12-18
A Good Cause
The MlddIebury Reglster says:

ne hiuuicDulg IAtSlotNl say =
The Enosburg Standard takes up
column or more of space in trying
to convince its readers that the state
is in urgent need of trunk line high
ways and should spend S250,000 a
year for eight years in building them.
The Standard is of the opinion that
the trunk line highway question is
going to be a prominent issue in the
next state legislature. 1t is refresh
ing to learn that there is to be some
issue. but there have been times
when issues were entirely ignored
by the legislators. viii this one
meet the same fate
Our Middlebury friend should not
worry over the Standards lavish USE
of space in advocating permanent
highways for Vermont II is a good
cause and the Standard knows OF no
better purpose to which It's editorial
columns can be put than trying t.
convince its readers" of the great
importance OF this question as it re-
lates to the materia progress and de
velopment of the state.
From the foregoing and other ex-
pressions of the Register upon this
subject there is a fairly well-founded
suspicion that the Middlebury CON
temporary has become so acutely ner-
vous over hearing an automobile tire
blow up that il is allowing its pref
udice against the auto to lead it into
an antagonstic attitude on the Ques-
ton Of modern highways for Yer
mont This is unfortunate, for It
needs the unprejudiced and enthusi-
astic activity of the press to further
this movement in its broad and gen
eral outline. however much honest
difference of opinion may exist as
regards the various details thereof
Gen. Charles II. Taylor editor Of
the Boston Globe, in an address in
Chicago last Friday said "A conser-
yatiye estimate NJ the annual reven-
ne from the vacation industry of New
England must place the total at from
fifty to sixty million dollars"
Nermonts share in this annual har
vest is infinitesimal in comparison
with that Of her sister states. and in
comparison to what it might be did
we possess a system of modern high
ways, inviting the migration of the
summer tourist to- enjoy the great
and varied natural attractions which
our state has to offer.
The STANDARD is not advocating the
building of speedways for the use OF
JOY riders and cup contestants, but is
protesting against the present hap
hazard and Ineffective methods ana
urging that Vermont adopt a broad
policy for the construction and super
vision of main line thoroughfares in
line with that of the other New hng-
land states and in keeping with the
progressive spirit that has actuateo
Vermont in other matters throughout
the past
Regarding the Registers state
ment that issues have been ignored
by legislatures in the past, the Stan.
dard has no evidence of widespread
tendency of the Vermont lawmakers
to ignore issues, in favor of which
there has developed fairly mature
and united sentiment on the part of
the people. Various socaled Issues
it is true, have been rejected. but in
the main, the ignoring of them has
been deplored only by some minority
element alone interested In their ad-
vancement.
The Standard repeats that il be-
lieves that the people of Vermont
have awakened to our lack of good
highways and that the movement for
a trunk line system will develop into
a prominent issue before the next
state legislature Enosburg Stan
dard.