Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1913-10-22
News Snapshots
OF the Week

Ing permanent highways. II Is
known as the National Highways
Association. 1t was started by a
group of rich men, who are getting
only the benefit of knowing that
some day their efforts will be seen
in fine highways from coast to
coast. This association has sent out
men, all over the country to enlist
the people in the cause, first send
ing a scout out to map out tentative
highways. This scout has followed
the old trails routes, those roads
marked first by the hardy settler as
he pushed westward.
These missionaries for good
roads are enthusing the people
along the routes so that they will
join in with their association and
make the petition to congress a
strong one, when they propose to-
that body of law makers to build
and maintain a highway.
The proposal of the National
Highways Association is to cross
every state in the union with from
one to three roads. These roads
would be built of concrete construc-
| ton, twenty-five feet wide and be
driven over at any time of the year
They propose that tax be put on
tabacco to get the revenue for such
highways. The tax per capita, on
users of tobacco would be very, very
small, but the z revenue would
amount to about $76,000,0O0 per
year. This amount of money would
be sufficient to build several miles
of such roadway. In some places,
the road would cost more than in
others, for the concrete would be
one foot deep, thus preventing it
from cracking. Culverts and brid-
ges would all be concrete.
Possibly few will ask, why, with
the railroads, good roads are neces-
sary. They wonder if these roads
are being built for the benefit of
people who own automobiles. And
yet these same people who wonder
why there should be good roads,
will harp on the high cost of living
until doomsday. They do not stop
to consider that transportation from
railroad terminals to the farm, and
the farm to the railroads amounts
annually to several billions of tons.
They do not think what an enor-
nous tonnage Of farm products
are hauled over country roads to the
city each year. They do not stop
to think that it costs the farmers on
an average, 23 cents per ton, per
mile to haul these products with
the roads in the condition that they
now are in. They do not stop to
look up the cost OF hauling products
in the European countries from the
farms to the railroads. In England,
the cost OF hauling ton OF produce
a mile over their country roads
: costs the farmer only cents. That
is, it costs the American farmer ex-
actly nineteen cents more to deliv-
er a ton of corn, or hay, mile.
than it does the English Farmer.
The cost in Germany is seven cents
per mile and in France, because OF
the hilly condition OF the country 1t
costs nine cents per ton. per mue.
In America, with permanent roads
il might cost the farmer twelve
cents per ton per mile, or halt the
: amount it costs him now.
This cost is figured from statis-
ties The wear is on the vehicles and
; harness, and greatest or all, the
time. and the killing conditions OF
the live stock.
This Is the benefit that the couL-
try people receive directly What
do the towns people receive from
good roads? Americans, who can
afford it spend $300,OQ0,OOO annu'