Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-19
MUST AID HIGHWAYS
A. A. A. Official Says It Is Fed
era| Duty.
URGE STATE COOPERATION
Attitude of Government During Last
Decade Has Undergone Won
derful Change.

A. G. Batchelder. chairman Of the ex-
ecutive board of the American Automo-
bile Association, in speaking on the ques-
ton Of good roads, says that the time
has come when the federal government
must assist in building and maintaining
highways. The government, he said, Is
already showing a Willingness to do this.
In speaking further on this subject
Mr.. Batchelder said:
Federal aid was once looked upon as
something indefinite. to be discussed. per-
haps, but not to be expected for a gen.
Grafton or more. But the story today is
of a decidedly different sort. and when a
man of the national capacity of Speaker
Champ Clark is willing to put himself on
record in this kind of letter to the ex-
ecutive committee of the American Auto
mobile Association it would certainly in
dicate that times have changed. These
were the words in which the Speaker an
nounced unequivocally his position in the
matter:
~ believe the time has come for the
general government to actively and pow
erfully cooperate with the states IN
building a great system of public high
WAYS. 1 believe the building of the Lin
coin highway would be the entering wedge
for the creation of a splendid system OF
roads that would bring its benefits TO
every citizen in the country.
But the list does not end with the
name Of Clark. In the Senate such men
as Simmons, Swanson. Bankhead, Cullom
and Gallinger are outspoken in their atti-
tude, while in the lower house one hears
of Borland. Hobson and Burnett 9th
ers have, in one way and another
given evidence of their belief in federal
participation, and it is A certainty that
this question will not down. 1t Will re-
uuire much discussion, compromising In
some particulars. and gradual ana CON
else segregation of all ideas before the
subject is reduced to a workable and sat
isfactOry plan.
Some Help Expected of Autoists.
Automobiles. Mr.. Batchelder said,
must also do their part Along this line
he said:
1T follows as natural sequence that
the man who uses the road most must
see to it that there is proper construction
and adequate maintenance. Hence it Is
that the duty is devolving upon the own
ers Of motor driven vehicles, for the SIM
ne reason that their average mileage per
day and per month and per year is
greatly in excess Of that of any other
road user If one passes over bad
stretch of road every day in the week,
he is likely to interest himself more WIN
its Improvement than is the person VINO
drives into town and back home in
week or ten days. The motorist is
persistent user of the road, where the
horse owner comes along somewhat oc-
casionally; and it should be noted that
even in driving his car within reason, the
motorist travels at greater speed, and
discomfort
than to the man who proceeds more lei
surely. In this time-saving age. one VINO
refuses to adopt improvements is not
keeping pace with the procession. If 1t
is perfectly logical in order to take ad-
vantage of a time-saving vehicle, that
there is need of bringing the public high
ways up to date, it is certainly disre-'
gard of economics not to meet the chang
ing conditions.
Charge Selfish Motives.
Charged by some with a selfish pur-
pose only in his work in highway inn
provement, the motorist at once responds
that good roads are good for everybody.
State Geologist Hotchkiss of Wiscon-
sin recently told how a farmer of that
state became a believer in good roads.
An offer of 81 cents came in March for
thousand bushels of potatoes which he
had been holding for a better market.
but, unfortunately. the only way he could
get to town. in March. was over the tel
ephone. When the roads dried out he
secured 30 cents a bushel for his potatoes
Thus he figures that bad roads cost him
something like $500. and he likewise fig
ures that if all the main roads in the
county had been improved his share
would have been only as much as the
loss on his crop of potatoes.
Believing as he does in motor-drfven
vehicles, the motorist is firmly convinced
that practically all transport over public
roads Of humans and merchandise Will
be Of the same kind; and so he refuses
to be rated thoroughly selfish in his high
way improvement efforts. AS matter
| of fact. he expects and is willing to do
more than his share toward securing
| good roads that unavoidably must be of
| value to the entire community. Further
more the motorist Is paying In most
states actually for the right of using the
| roads. something which is plainly uncon-
| stitutional. and to which he submits be-
cause the money itself Is invariably used
on the roads. If one class of road users
| is taxed. is 1t not reasonable to assume
| that all road users should pay something,
| even though the man who covers the
| greater mileage should pay In proper
| ton to his greater use of the road? Only
| In one state has the constitutionality of
| the proposition ever been attacked, and
| that is in New Jersey. and done there
| principally because of the unreciprocal
| attitude of that state In its relation 10
| the Automobiles of other states.
! A Federal Number Would Help.
ut has been said that free roads are
necessity in a free country. and during
| these tag days for motorists who are
Interstate as we'll as intrastate in their
| goings and comings. there is excellen,
| argument in favor of federal numbe,
to supplement the registration required by