Crittenden record-press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1909-191?, 1911-02-02
HARRY A. sOMMERs
ON GOOD ROADS
Address Favoring Good Roads
Delivered in Louisville
CARDINAL IDEA IS ADVANCED
Necessary Tax Would Not Be .
Heavy One, Said Mr.. sommers,
Al Congress Of Kentucky
Good Roads Association.

One OF the principal addresses at
the congress OF the Kentucky Good
Roads association. held In Louisville
last week, was made by Harry A. Som.
mers, of Elizabethtown. Ky. Mr.. Som
mers has given this subject much
study and is an authority. His address
in favor OF the good roads movement
was as follows;
at Ia 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
frsm our borders.
I'VE have neglected the education
of our children until illiteracy is a re
proach to the state. We have lef'
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 II 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
AZ q result Of all this the census ng
ures show that only three states In
the Union have a smaller percentage
OF growth than Kentucky. Is II moi
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 doo~
"In my humble opinion the first ant
greatest step for the material develop
ment OF Kentucky was taken last fal
AT the good roads meeting when thii
congress was called and a committee
appointed to draft state aid bill To-
public highways to be submitted to II
II Is not my purpose to discuss al THU
| time in detail the value OF good road'
OF the cost Of bad ones. ] merely wisl
to emphasize that bad roads are .
heavier tax upon the people than an
reasonable tax which may be levie'
TO secure good roads. The bad road
OF Kentucky cost the people more an
nually than all the state tax. the stat
school tax and the county taxes com
bined. A government statistician ha
estimated that the bad roads in thu
United States cost $3.50 per capita
year. II they only cost half that mucl
| In Kentucky the people are paying an
nuaily si2,ooo,ooo to pull Though tn
mud.
. Bad Roads . Perpetual Tax.
1.-THE cost OF bad roads Is a perpei
ual tax which can only be stopped b.
the building OF good roads. Goo
roads not only stop the tax OF ba'
roads, but they increase the value O
the land more than the roads cost
They are great moral factors and lik
the railroads are great civilizers.
"The measure framed for your cor
sideration was drafted by a committe
consisting OF Senator Joe s. Boswortf
| OF the mountains: Judge James 7
| Gregory, OF Louisville: Mr.. George 7
Pickett, OF the Bluegrass, and tn
| speaker. from Southern Kentucky.
was framed without regard to any pal
ticular section OF the state, but upo
the broad plan OF helping every par
~ Kentucky and the commonwealth
as a whole. The committee endeavol
ed TO make II so plain and simple in
synopsis form that II could be SUI
ceptible OF but one construction, tn
one the trainers intended II shoul
have.
Kentucky Is unit. Outside tn
state citizen Is known only as a Ker
,uckian, whether ne halls from tn
mountains. the Bluegrass or Wester
Kentucky. No man can rise to di
tinction in any part OF this common
wealth that the luster OF his name
not shed upon the whole state. n
great crime can be committed in tn
most remote section that the shame {
Il does not fall upon Kentucky. w
need to give force and effect to III
motto OF our state. United We Stan'
Divided We FAIL and everywher'
from the Big Sandy to the Mississippi
there should be a united and concer
ed effort to put Kentucky where sh
properly belongs. at the forefront {
the States.
State Aid Not New.
The question of state aid Is no ne
thing. Over sixty millions have bee
appropriated by the various states
the union to aid in the construction ,
metal highways. Thirty-two state
are aiding In various ways in the CO.
struction of roads. have the last r
port of the federal highways depar
ment at Washington City. which show
what the various states are doing
this direction. Maryland has Apr