The daily tribune., 1909-03-08
AN URGENT APPEAL.

An urgent appeal is being sent out
by the Rocky Mountain Highway AS
ISOLATION, with headquarters in Den.
yer to all commercial organizations
In the state that they unite in aiding
to secure the passage of the good roads
bills now before the present leglsla-
ture. 1t Is asked that the CONNER
cial bodies get in touch with thei r
representatives and urge upon them
the necessity for the passage of the
bill proposed. Through the medium
of the press an appeal is also Issued to
every person Interested in good roads
to use his influence to secure the
passage Of these bills. 1t is suggest
ed that individual letters be sent the
representativ es and senators urging
them to act.
The principal bill now before the
legislature provides for the appoint
ment OF a state highway commission.
whose duty 1t shall be to aid in the
construction and maintenance Of high
ways throughout Colorado. The bill
also provides for appropriation of
$3.50 900 for use as state aid for those
counties that build permanent roads.
The bill has been introduced liz the
senate by Senator Ehrhart of Chaffee
aud Ia known there as Senate bill No
SO. In the house the bill was in.
troduced by Representative II. e.
Hits of Denver. and in that body is
designated as house bill No. al. AS
yet the measures are still in the
hands of the finance committee on
appropriations and expenditures In
the house. 1t Is expected. however,
that these bills will be taken up
within the next few days and brought
before the two houses.
Colorado needs some good roads
legislation declared O. A. johnson.
vice president OF the Rocky Mountain
Highway association recently. "At
the present time this state, with the
RrAndest scenery in the world, and
with the finest agricultural soil to be
found anywhere is losing millions of
dollars each year because of the fact
that We have no good mountain
roads for the to artists who wish to
travel leisurely through our hills.
and further because the present bad
roads tend to increase rather than
decrease the cost OF production for
the farmer. Nowadays bad road
means that the farmer can haul only
about half tho load to market that he
could with good roads. This means
just a double expense in getting his
products to his markets.
"There IL not state In the Union
but what far exceeds Colorado Ia good
roads. In Utah at the present session
Of the Legislature there were at least
six good road bills presented. and
practically every one Of them has
been enacted into law. Idaho, wyo-
IN ing and other states have also pass
ed good roads legislation. and Colo.
rado should do so this year. To.
day there are only fourteen states
in the entire country that have no
highway commission. and Colorado,
with the greatest resources Of them
all, is one Of these.
1--WE have been carrying on n cam.
paign of publicity and eduction for
the last six months, aud feel have
accomplished considerable good. To.
day we want every person. or every
organization Of any kind that Is In.
terested In good roads to lot their
representative In the Legislature know
their position. II We can get this
sort of backing. tbore Is to my mind
no question but Whist We will secure
the desired legislation from tho pres.
ent general assembly. :"