The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-04-29
Good Roads Could Have Done
1t, Says an Expert.
Furthermore, Good Roads May
Have to Do 1t Again.
MUD is HARD ON SCHOOLS
of Children Unable to
Attend Their Classes.
National Association Meeting
at Kansas City.

Kansas City, April 29.-That the
civil war might have been avoided had
the states been linked by an adequate
system of national highways was a
suggestion made in an address by
Charles Henry Davis Of Cambridge,
Mass, read before the convention of
National Old Trails association
which opened here today with dele
gates from all sections of the United
States present. Mr.. Davis is president
of the National Highways association.
His address was read by his repre-
sentative, c. H. Claudy, Washington,
D. c.
Mr.. Davis outlined the history of
the old frontier trade routeS-the
Santa Fe trail, the Boone's Lick road,
the Oregon trail, the Overland trail,
the Mormon trail, and others"and
told of the Old Trails association S
plan to link these routes together and
connect them with Washington and
New York in great modern nationaal
New York in a great modern national
life has slipped away since hardy plo-
neerS first conceived transcontlnen-
tai highway" he said.
Their conception was to bind the
states together in a common brother
hood, and thus perpetuate and pre-
serve the union Had these prophetic
words of Calhoun been needed, and in
the full knowledge there had we, as
nation, built roads, might not the
great struggle between north ana
south have been avoided. There are
this indifference to the building of
national roads may result in another
attempt at such a separation"
Roads Free to All People.
Among other statements in Mr..
Davis address were these:
''Of the seven modes of lntercom-
munication-water,r roads, postal, rail-
road, telegraph, telephone and wire
less-only one road is free to all the
people.
approximately one billion passengers
a year Considering each passage
trip, as on railways passenger traffic
on our highways approximates 200.
our railways the United States govern
ment has paid about 4 per cent. The
railroads have been operated at a
profit by and for few favored indi-
vidua1s.
Can anyone advance a southern
argument against our national govern
ment building and maintaining such
system of national highways.
Fifty thousand miles of national
highways could be so arranged as to
serve every section. At 100000 mile
this would cost $1,000,000, sum
which does not exceed the amount
spent by the government on raliroads
which are privately owned-not pub
Iicly owned as would be these national
highways.
Increase Value of Lands.
Fifty thousand miles of national
highways will increase the value of
adjacent lands within one mile there
of by more than S600,000,000.
There are eighteen million school
children who endeavor to attend
school. There are over thirty million
who should attend school. Why don't
they? Obviously because schools are
not provided nor attendance required.
Why not? Largely because during
much of the school term consider
able part of two million miles of our
roads is impaSSable.
Mr.. Davis gave a table showing the
relation of good and bad roads to
illiteracy 1t stated that illiteracy was
eleven times "reater in the south At
lantics states than in New England,
while the percentage of improved
roads in the south Atlantic section is
60 and in the New England section
22.2
Discussion Over Route.
Whether the western end of the pro-
posed ocean-to-ocean highway shall
pass through section noted for
scenic beauty, or along a route replete
with historical interest probably will
be decided at the annual meeting of
the National Old Trails association
which began here today.
The original old trails route across
the continent ends at Santa F'e, N. M.
Lovers of the historical contend that
the route from that point should fol-
low the old Doniphan trail and the
Kearney road which secured their
names from General Alexander w.
Doniphan and General Stephen Kear-
ney, respectively.
Delegates favoring the scenic route
want the road built directly west from
Santa Fe, through the mountains by
way of the Grand Canyon, reaching
California at Barstow, thence to Los
Angeles and up the coast to San Fran
cisco. New Mexico and Arizona towns
on the proposed scenic route sent dele
cations to argue against the southern
route.