New-York tribune., 1912-12-01
SOLVING ROAD PROBLEMS
Government to institute Sys-
tenn of National Highways.
STATES DRAFT MODEL LAWS
Registration Fee Proposed for
Motor Car Owners to
Defray the Upkeep.


vention held In this country was resolu-
tion recently adopted by Congress provid-
ing for a joint committee of the House
and Senate to take up the question of
government action and evolve a concise
proposition" said r. d Chaplin. president
OF the Hudson Motor Car Company. in his
recent address before the National Asso-
citation of Automobile Manufacturers at
| Detroit. as he told OF the contemplated
action Of the national government in TAX
ing up and instituting a system Of ma
tional highways. This joint committee
now consists OF FIVE members each from
the committees on Postoffices and Post
Roads OF the two branches OF Congress.
With this committee we shall have much
to do from this time on.
only bv this means will we ultimately
have the right kind Of roads. roads that
will cover this country like network. af-
fordng direct routes to all the bigger
( centres Year after year we have coop
Grated with a growing list of new inter-
ests who favored and were willing 10 work
for better highways Two years ago your
committee became convinced that from
then forward the automobile user was
perhaps the strongest factor, outside the
farmer. in the securing OF good roads leg
| islation. We, therefore, in conjunction
with the American Automobile Associ-
alton. organized good roads board, COM
posed OF r. p. Hooper. president OF the
American Automobile Association. \. @.
! Batchelder. chairman Of the executive
committee: G. c. Diehl. chairman OF the
good roads committee: S. D. Waldon, rep
resentIng the Automobile Board OF Trade:
! c. J. Butler. representing the Motor and
Accessory Association. and myself, repre-
senting the National Association Of Auto
mobile Manufacturers. our purpose was
to coordinate the good roads work OF the
manufacturers and the users. bringing to
bear the enormous influence Of the or
ganized body Of users.
Briefly summarized, the American Au-
tomobile Association plan is for com
| prehensve system OF national roads 10
supplement we'll organized state systems.
which shall include inter-county. market
and township roads. with adequate provi-
sion for upkeep and gradually improved
form Of construction
In the furtherance OF state highway
development. Diehl, the good roads chair-
! man. has drawn up model highway law
| which is being sent 10 the governors ana
whatever road officials may exist In
states where no definite plan of ROADS
Improvement has been adopted. This bill
is accompanied with the uniform automo-
bile law, which has been brought UP TO
date by Terry, the legislative chairman.
and the demand for these two pieces of
N,a.- - ka Il 81
Of several thousand copies in all parts OF
I the country.
1T Is almost impossible, within reasona-
BILE confines. to give a summary OF what
has been done and is in process In this
state work. In Maine, for instance. the
state association was formed, resulting
in an active good roads propaganda. one
Of the members proposed plan FOR cap
| italizing the automobile registration fees
and a referendum In September brought
a four TO one favorable vote on S,Oo'0O
! bond issue. In Idaho plan is on foot
TO secure a similar bond issue on much
| the same basis. In Montana the state
| association is arranging to introduce
| model automobile law and highway bill
| patterned after the New York law. In
| Washington, North Carolina. Nevada and
| Louisiana either arrangements are being
| made TO put through new highway laws
where none existed, or an improved and
more modern law will be introduced. In
New York considerable work was done on
the second 90 appropriation. which
we are pleased TO say received favora-
BILE vote and was passed at the last cleo
| tion In Pennsylvania, through CO.
operation with the State Grange, good
roads bill was drawn up, providing for
10000, 900 bond issue. and THE will come
before the next session OF the Pennsyi-
vania Legislature.
THE great problem that confronts us
all now is what is the right material for
a permanent highway. The government
has maintained in Washington bureau u
| OF public roads that has been expert
menting for years with every road ma
terfal known II is the belief OF your
committee that until we secure the con-
gtruction OF highways that will be per
manent I'm the character OF their roadbed
all roads will be much more expensive 10
maintain than should be the case. We
therefore say frankly, In favoring all
highway construction, we hope the time
is not far clS1dDt WHcI VIC hioih a.
at least. will be Of some permanent con-
struction that Will need practically no
attention for years after being laid. The
government can do more TO bring about
a universal permanent highway construc-
ton throughout the country than any
other agency. Hence. another reason for
our campaign for national highways and
federal aid.
"In the first place. We believe that the
motorists, as the most insistent users OF
the road. should come forward and agree
| 10 an annual registration fee OF falriy
substantial proportions, providing 1t If IN
lieu OF personal taxes and every doiiar
OF il is used In the maintenance OF rosos
already constructed This establishes
oopartnership between the state ana
those who use its roads continuously, and
10 a greater extent than those who EN-
ploy horse-drawn vehicles. 1t is plainly
unconstitutional to tax one class OF roao
users and TO exempt another. but TOT the
time being we would waive the point ne-
cause of the results which naturally foi-
low the payment OF this substantial an
nual fee
Nrm rEATIIRES IN PAIGE CAR.