Crittenden record-press., 1911-02-02
HARRY A, SOMMERS
ON GOOD ROADS
Address Favoring Good Roads
Delivered in Louisville
CARDINAL IDEA IS ADVANCED
Heavy One, Said Mr.. Sommers,
At Congress of Kentucky
Good Roads Association.

ROADS association. neld in Louisville
last week. was made by Harry A. Som
mers. of Elizabethtown. Ky. Mr.. Som
mers has given this subjec, much
study and is an authority. His address
in favor OF the good roads movement
was as follows:
ut is evident that in Kentucky we
have done those things which We
ought not to have done and left un.
done those things which we should
have done. Between our political
feuds, our blood feuds in the noun
tains and our tobacco feuds in Central
and Western Kentucky We have re-
PEELED both capital and immigration
from our borders.
I'VE have neglected the education
of our children until illiteracy is a re
proach to the state. We have lefi
comparatively untouched the grea.
wealth which the Creator stored in
the bowels OF our mountains. We
have shipped out our splendid timber
to be manufactured in other states, in.
stead OF manufacturing Il at home.
We have legislated against the rail.
roads, those great pioneers OF prog.
ress and development. instead OF en-.
couraging them to extend their lines.
AS result of all this the census fig
ures show that only three states in
the Union have a smaller percentage
Of growth than Kentucky. Is it not
time to turn over a new leaf just be-
fore the New Year and use to the full
est extent the great advantages which
nature has laid at our feet and which
opportunity has brought to our doc
"ln my humble opinion the first and
greatest step for the material develop
ment of Kentucky was taken last fall
at the good roads meeting when this
congress was called and a committee
appointed to draft state aid bill for
public highways to be submitted TO I.
II is not my purpose TO discuss ar this
time in detail the value of good roads
or the cost Of bad ones ! merely wish
10 emphasize that bad roads are a
heavier tax upon the people than any
reasonable tax which may be levied
to secure good roads. The bad roads
of Kentucky cost the people more an.
nually than all the state tax. the state
school tax and the county taxes COM
bined. A government statistician has
estimated that the bad roads in the
United States cost $3.50 per capita a
year. If they only cost half that much
in Kentucky the people are paying an.
nually sl2,OoOO0o to pull Though the
mud
Bad Roads a Perpetual Tax.
"The cost Of bad roads is a perpet.
ual tax which can only be stopped by
the building Of good roads. Good
roads not only stop the tax OF bad
roads. but they increase the value of
the land more than the roads cost.
They are great moral factors and like
the railroads are great civilizens.
"The measure framed for your con
sideration was drafted by committee
consisting of Senator Joe S. Bosworth,
OF the mountains; Judge James p.
Gregory, of Louisville; Mr.. George F.
Pickett. of the Bluegrass. and the
speaker. from Southern Kentucky. II
was framed without regard to any par
ticular section of the state, but upon
the broad plan OF helping every part
IF Kentucky and the commonwealth
as whole. The committee endeavor-
cd to make it so plain and simple in
synopsis form that 1t could be sus.
ceptible of but one construction. the
one the trainers intended IL should
have.
Kentucky is unit. Outside the
,uckian, whether he halls from the
mountains, the Bluegrass or Western
Kentucky. No man can rise to dis
tinctiOn in any part Of this common.
wealth that the luster OF his name is
not shed upon the whole state. No
great crime can be committed In the
most remote section that the shame OF
1t does not fall upon Kentucky. We
need to give force and effect to the
motto of our state, United We Stand,
Divided We Fall and everywhere,
from the Big Sandy to the Mississippi,
there should be a united and concert
ed effort to put Kentucky where she
properly belongs, at the forefront OF
the States.
State Aid Not New.
"The question of state aid is no new
thing. Over sixty millions have been
appropriated by the various states in
the union to aid in the construction OF
metal highways. Thirty-two states
are aiding in various ways in the con.
struction of roads. have the last re-
port OF the federal highways depart.
ment at Washington City. which shows
what the various states are doing in
this direction. Maryland has appro
priated for this year $a5O.OOO, Massa.
eAusetts $50O,000. New Jersey has
spent $2.S59.735, and has appropriated
for 1910 100000. In this connection
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