The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-04-12
Hardly a Luxury.
The Vergennes Enterprise, in the
current issue says:

The Vergennes Enterprise in the |
current issue says:
The dream Of trunk-line highways |
may be a pleasing sensation Its first !
agitation was about a decade ago |
when the Vermont Good Roads AssO- /
citation was in existence, but it will |
be many decades in the dim and dis
tant future before q Legislature of
Vermont will vote 10 issue bonds for
such a luxury. II would be great TO
have them, but the expense of main
tenance would be greater and far be-
yond our means, necessitating a
large increase in taxation or direct
tax upon the people. The present
system is about the best we can af-
ford and it certainly is accomplishing
great Improvement of the highways
of the State. More extensive road
building along the same plan will be
better for Vermont at the present
time Instead Of cha ling after lofty
ideals that are beyond our reach
We n. grow little bit, and quite
a bit before we can expect to live in
luxury"
IV NtA HAiiAIo 'RAANAlfUO Ahot
be a good prophet, but we hope not in
the matter Of road building 1t does
not seem to this paper that trunk
line highways are a luxury, hut rath-
err necessity. But roads are an ex-
trayagance and good roads are mat
ter of economy. State Highway Com
missioner Gates and his assistants
are doing splendid work with the
means at their command, but it will
take many years to give the State
good roads at the rate we are build
ing. We cannot afford to tax the peo-
pie sufficient amount to secure the
building of permanent highways
much faster than the present pro
gram calls for, yet we need the bet
ter roads just as soon as we can get
them. Our state is in excellent f.
nancial condition and our credit is
good. Tc bond the state for trunk
line highways would be a good in
vestment, juss as business men find
it profitable to borrow money to per
nit the enlargement of their enter
prises.
If it were possible to set forth in
dollars and cents the amount that
the people of this state lose every
year on account of bad roads, we
would be greatly astonished. The
farmer loses in the extra time he
must spend in going to market and in
the small load he can haul through
the mud. The merchant loses be-
cause bad roads diminish his country
trade. Then there is another impor-
tant phase to be considered. 1t is
asserted that New England now re-
ceiyes the enormous revenue Of $780,
100000 from the summer tourist
business, while Vermont's share, al
lowing liberal estimate, Is not
more than half million dollars. One
OF our serious handicaps is poor
roads About half of the summer
business is said to be automobile
traffic. Vermont is the scenic para
disc OF New England, and yet we are
getting about one-one hundred and
twentieth OF the business. With
good roads II would increase enorm-
ously for our natural attraction, in
variety and charm surpass those of
the other five New England States.
New Hampshire is entering upon an
extensive good roads program. Mas
sachusetts has been building fine
State roads for years. To the west,
New York is engaged I'm building per-
manent highways on a large scale.
We are surrounded by enterprising
neighbors who realize the value OF
good roads now.
Can we afford to build good roads?
Rather, can we afford not TO build
them? We need them, first for our
own people, and next as a means of
getting our fair share Of the lucrative
summer business. When We consid-
er what improved highways mean in
time saved, In increased Transports
ton facilities and IN general comfort
and peace Of mind. also In the vast
increase Of the tourist business
which II will bring. shall We hesitate
because good roads cost more to
maintain tnan poor roads? The in
creased cost Of maintenance, which
the State should assume. would be
trifling compared with the value in
good hard dollars that such roads
would bring
The whole matter is a business
proposition in which the element OF
time is am important factor. Let US
look at II from every point OF view
and then decide whether We shall
send to the next Legislature men
who are not afraid TO start Vermont
on a more progressive career In 1911
or whether we prefer to keep in the
old ruts and watch our neighbors
grow at our expense Montpelier