Evening journal., 1913-02-10


New York State. Some S5OOO0.O00 al
ready has been spent on New Norks
new road system and the cost per mile.
according to official figures. has been
Sl2,256. There is nothing ilossy about
the York State roads; and they are
single At the York State rate the
l0l-mile stretch thrty-foot middle road
which General DUPONT assures TO Della
ware would cost 81 .235.S3G
But he is to build. besides the middle
speedway. a north and south heavy
traffic road. a clay road for horse drawn
vehicles and he is TO set up trees and
sidewalks. erect garages and repair
shops at intervals, agricultural expert
ment stations every twenty miles, ctc
Without putting any of his own money
into rails and wires and conduits. il is
plain the investment even at census
figures. for the boulevard would run near
the S2500,0O0 estimate. and at York
State figures. much beyond.
Samples Of Miscomprehension
However. big principles were involved.
All national parties. except the Repuhli-
can last fall advocated in their plat
forms national aid for post roads. Here
was an individual citizen. leading Re
publican. who olier>l to supply his
State with a thru highway out of his
private purse. As far off as Seattle the
proposal aroused comment Seattle wax
ed sarcastic, remarking
Philanthropist DUPONT has announced
that he will invest S25000OO in that
| highway. See how nicely IL is arranged
/ The people get their highway for MIR.
I dupont's - 100000 It's pcach Mr..
/ DUPONT gets control of strip of land
/ clear across the State It's tree of
peaches Doesn't this clearly show YOU
I how You can become n phianthropist 2
! No; Well. then, given what the Della
ware Legislature gave good Mr.. DUPONT.
/ You could, tho pennilcss az a father with
nine unmarried daughters on the eve of
December 25th, get all the hard-hearted
unphianthropic capitalists you wanted
To 60 in with you on developing that
200-foot right-of-way. OF course. the
State of Delaware could socialistcally
have done the same thing. but the State
of Delaware is run by a "represcnta-
tive part Of the people, and that part
knows pie when it sees IT,
That comment was based ON false pre-.
mise. as will presently appear.
In Ohio the American Economic
League issued blast against the pro.
iect dwelling on "the possibility OF
financial profit which Mr.. DUPONT might
derive from the rental of the 10 foot
surplus. and also from increase in land
values along the highway. he being an
extensive land owner" The moral point
ed out was that "the State might hav,
built the road without the help of any
wealthy individual and put the profit IL
the public treasury This brought
from General DUPONT the following re
tort containing important admissions.
Had You kept pace with the pubica
tions on this subject YOU would havl
seen that ! have said until such timl
! as the land not required for the roa,
! is needed, tho income therefrom (if any
viii be used to develop Delaware
/ / have felt for some time past tina
the United States and our States i
, building roads should acquire the land
J adjacent thereto for the purpose O
E raising an income TO support the govern
e ment.
r I believe the nation should build
I certain per cent. Of the highways
; each State. making them connect wit
70 n well-workcd- out system from Stat
z to State and that they should own tn
z ground each side of this highway. tina
2 they should rent the ground 20 whoeve
wanted it. on say four per cent. basil
5 This income TO 90 to the United State
2 When States or counties build roads. th
{ same thing to apply. The difference be
I tween United States and State roa
being that when the city takes in th
Z State road the city should then pa
for the strip If land and the incom
thereafter 90 to the city. Whereas /
the case of the United States road th
income would always 90 TO the Unite
5 States.
e This is only variation Of theorie
q that have been preached for the pas
ten years. but with all the preachin
/ Of all the people interested. they hay
5 accomplished nothing Whereas in m
o case, believe an example with pul
I lishcd statement of earnings and thes