The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-03-16

rage of products is carried every day.
 'The ease, comfort, dispatch and economy of this travel and transporta- tion are measured by the condition of the roads, and this fact is now so ap- parent that none doubt it. The good road is a growth. a development
 Tn newly settled countries. roads are usually bad. The people are busy build ing homes, developing farms. creating industries and markets The highways receive the minimum of attention. It was thus in Alabama.
 New Era Has Come.
 And now a new era has come. The lessons of bitter experience, the teach ings of experts, the common observation of the people have brought us to that point where we are ready to take up this work in earnest, and no backward step is thought of, or even possible, for our faces are set toward better condi- tions.
 ..The prosperity of the state and the growth of population make possible the improvement of the highways to de- gree and in time not thought possible | quarter of 8 century ago.
 "In view of the constitutional amend- | ment, commonly known as the good roads amendment, it is quite clear that the people of the state have determined In favor of the policy of good roads, and an intelligent and efficient system. That amendment is not mandatory. It authorizes the legislature to appropri- ate the net earnings of the convict de- partment and other available funds to | the building of public highways. other Needs of State. | "While ardently desiring to improve our | public road system they recognized the other imperative obligations of the state h impaired, the children of the people must have the best opportunity for public | school education possible to give them, | the war veterans and their widows must be cared for, and their declining years made comfortable, and all the legitimate expenses of the government honestly and 1 economically administered must be pro- yided for All these they recognize as | imperative obligations. and hence by this | constitutional provision the legislature was not commanded, but was authorized | to make the appropriation-yet it does mean something more than mere au- thority
 "It must be taken as the desire of the l people of the state for the legislature to make the appropriation as soon as the | resources of the state will reasonably | hermit it, consistent with it's other great | obligations and existing approved policies.
 ssIt is not the desire of the people that this great question should be pseonholed or that it should dry rot on a legisla- five shelf, but that it shall be earnetly and wisely considered by the legislature and put into effective operation as soon as practicable.
 "Highways must be built and main
 tained by taxes, in money or labor fur nished by the people The state govern
 ment has no resources except those iron taxation of the people and the convict 1 labor, and its work is therefore limited by the amount of the revenue raised. If is largely a great public business propo- sition.
 Duty of Legislature.
 "It will be the duty of the legis- llative department to most carefully consider this question In connection with the resources at its disposal and other great questions of state commit ltcd to 1t. and just as soon as it car be done consistently with the existing and established other great duties and 1 obligations of the state, to putt int operation the clear purDose and desire