The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1911-01-11
HARRY S0MMERS
ON GOOD ROADS

thing. Over sixty millions nave been
appropriated by the various states in
the union to aid I'm 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 $950,000, Massa.
chusetts 100000. New Jersey has
spent S2.S59.735 and has appropriated
for 1910 100000. In this connection J
would say that New Jersey is the
pioneer state in granting aid, and as
result Il shows double the increase OF
population of any state on the Allan
tic seaboard New York has appro-
priated $4,000 900 and has set aside
for this year $2,5O0O0O PENNSYLVANIA,
the second state in growth in the east,
las appropriated $S,22l 900, and for
the year 1910 s1,O00,O00. Washington,
which outgrew any of the Pacific
states, has appropriated SG20,0oO for
this year, and so on through a long
list of states.
LET me say that no state in the
union has made material progress in
road building, except those states
which have granted financial aid, and
that every state which has granted
aid has made material progress. State
cid is an absolute necessity to secure
good roads. We will never have them
in Kentucky without it.. 1t means, in
the first place that the roads viii
be properly built. This has not been
The case in Kentucky save with rare
exceptions. 1t will not only stop the
waste from incompetency, but it will
also stop the graft which has been
limited at as existing in some counties.
Kentucky, of all states in the union,
should provide state aid, for the rea-
son that no state has such a great
difference in the wealth and poverty
of our people. We have one county
whose assessable wealth is over $780,
coo 600, and a dozen where the as
sessment is less than Sl,000,000 The
Principle of state aid has been recog-
nized in Kentucky throughout its en-
lire history. Our public school system
tests upon it and without it half the
counties could not maintain public
schools. The state, instead Of the
counties, under our laws pays all the
jury claims, witness claims, pauper
ii 10 81, Ind a nd
monwealth attorneys salaries and
many other things II is so embodied
in our laws that the state is the unit
that il is almost fundamental.
Compared With School Tax.
81 do not believe that there is an
! intelligent man within the sound OF
my voice who would openly oppose the
state school tax of 22h cents on the
( 800 because his county paid into the
} state treasury more than it drew out.
No man has ever advocated the repeal
of that law. Any candidate for the leg
/ isnture who would make the race
upon the platform of the repeal of the
| school tax because his county did not
! get back as much as it paid in would
he overwhelmingly defeated Why
. Because it is recognized as an abso-
lutte necessity for the rich counties
of Kentucky to help to educate the
children of the poor counties in order
TO maintain our public schol system
Nearly half the counties in Kentucky
are as helpless to build good roads
without state aid as they would be to
maintain public schools without state
aid. Realizing the value which state
aid has been to other states no one
can object to it in Kentucky except
upon the most selfish motives of nay
ing in a little more into the state
treasury than they can draw out and
! | do not believe that Kentucky is go
ing to be governed by that narrow
g"i~it. these few people who are cry