El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-04-26
T TO L
BUILD GOOD A
States and Communities Must Do Their
Share, HOvvever-COnEressman
BOrlnnd's Ideas.

1900
While the effort e obtain national
government participation in the high
ways progress of the country accumu-
lates force. the various states, one
after another, are adopting leg1sla-
ton providing for the establishment
OF state highway departments. Ac-
cOrding to information received by the
A A A. National Good Roads board,
which keeps in touch with the state
automobile bodies and aids materially
in their work, there will be, S a re-
suit of recent legislative action, road
departments in Maine, Montana. Mis-
souri,, Colorado, Idaho, Arkansas. and
Texas. This make plainly apparent
that the o for federal action has
not caused any laying down on the
part Of The states, which have their
roper part to perform IN the general
roads development.
OF the addresses given at the Second
Federal Aid convention IN Washington
called by the National Good Roads
board. none contained a more compre-
hensive summing UP Of the situation
than the remarks of representative
VIM. P. BOrland, Of Missouri, who
among other things, said
Il believe that the good a cues
ton is the biggest question without
exception, o facing the American
people. In congress-. we are trying
earnestly and sincerely to deal with
this problem of the extent and char
aGLGE OF IGQGEd4 GOALLQ4 anu AE4EA IA
aid to good roads. There are diff
culties confronting US.
Some Of US believe in a continuous
system Of roads; roads that go some
where; roads that give US the benefit
of the scientific progress OF engineer
ing skill that has been developed IN
connection with o building. We
believe that federal aid, If 1t comes at
all-aud il must cOme-must mean 2
better type of roads, long roads. roads
Of hfnha ola &C roads of 4 more nET-
manent character, rOadS that go some
where, roads that mean something IN
the development Of the country
Il want to say to you frankly, q
the easiest proposition to get through
anv legislative body is not a PROPOSE
ton tina really means betterment, out
a proposition that distributes ITS niue
advantages as widely as possible. II
we could take a little federal money,
or a good deal Of federal money or
as much federal money as we could lay
our hands on. whatever the amount
might be, and spread 1t out over every
road district in the United states anu
put it in the hands Of the existing ROAD
overseers for the existing system OF
roads. and not ask anything in return,
We could get the greatest applause anu
the most tremendous unanlmlty OF
pinion back of il that n leglSlaLlFS
proposition could possibly get -Inere
is no doubt about that
But here is the idea that must &C
cur to every thinking man We 40
not have to improve the Z,l5O,OOO miles
of highways in the United States. That
need not stagger any mans magma
ton. Experience has shown, at the
very threshold Of this subject q
90 percent of all the traffic on roads
goes over less than 10 percent C
the roads. If We had a system OI
good roads leading fairly into every
section Of the country. WITHIN the Ie4-
sonable reach Of the majority OF the
citizens, and producers and taxpayers
of the country. that system Would De
a vast advantage over the present
system of isolated local control OI
highways.
IF we can bring that about by a
shirt Of self sacrifice and cooperation
not necessarily with any STUBBORN
ness or pride of Opinion-but If We
can get together on the idea that II
is better to have some good roads
than it is to have no good roads, tnen
we viii an get behind some PROPOSE
ton and accomplish something Iol
good roads; and il is going TO Iake
mat spirit Of cooperation and self sac
rifice to bring about legislation