The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1913-02-27
SHALL THE UNITED STATES BUILD
HIGHWAYS?

1t is question which is slowly but
surely forcing itself upon the National
Legislature. Many Senators and Rep
resentatives now believe that the build
ing of system of National Highways
IS of more economic Importance than
any other public work-more vital than
the question of large navy, more use
full than any river and harbor improve
ment, more necessary than the Panama
Canal. For Highways are built and
owned by the people and are free to
all the people. A few years ago road
bills had short shift in Congress-at
present there are nearly hundred bills
beforeCongress dealing with road build
ing in one form or another.
Although the good roads, idea has
been gathering force and Roadway for
many years, its advocates are still pull
ing in many directions. Some road as
sociations want State Highways with
National Aid. Others want State High
ways without National Aid. Still others
want good roads paid for by the coun-
ties through which they pass, without
any aid. One, at least, believes firmly
that the question is not only one for
States, Counties, Cities and Towns, .but
for the Nation.
The National Highways Association
believes that the beginning of a COM
prehensive good road system for the
Nation must be made by the Federal
Government.
Such a system consists of fifty
thousand miles of National Highways
1t is not intended that this should
represent the entire good road system
needed by the United States. 1t IS
merely tentative suggestion of the Ma
tional System of National highways,
from which good roads built by States,
by Counties. and by Cities and Towns,
would grow and multiply.
1t is universal experience that one
mile of good road breeds another mile.
Put Statewide, good road down any
where in this country, and in ten years
there will be dozens of good roads
reaching 1t from all parts of the State.
Put down system of National High
ways, built and maintained by the Ma
tional Government, and the various
State Legislatures and County officials
would soon see the advantages of con-
Meeting all parts of the States with those
National roads.
There are two million miles of roads
in the United States. The fifty thou
sand miles of highway shown on the
map is but fraction over two per cent.
of this mileage. But improve these
fifty thousand miles into good roads.
and keep them good roads by proper
maintenance, and fifty thousand miles
more would grow almost over night.
and then another fifty thousand and
another and another, until our great
country, with its huge territory, would
be crossed and recrossed with good
roads, as France is to-day.
France Institutional Highways. These
are immense trunk line roads, great ar
teries of commerce, and from these the
smaller roads are built by the provinces
Of France, just as the States and Coun-
ties of our States will build feeders and
connections to a National System of
Highways.
If France-about the size of Texas
needs National Highways, how much
more do we, with our huge territory,
require them?
Many idealists and dreamers have
proposed National Road Systems for
this country. Usually the system has
been worked out with map, ruler,
a pencil, and sublime faith. Mountains,
lakes, rivers and forests form no OBJ
stacles to such visionary road systems.
The National Highways System, as
shown on this map, is the product of no
such dream. The highways indicated
are either the best present roads from
point to point, or what are, in the judg-
ment of a trained and experienced corps
of road engineers, the best possible and
practicable roads from point to point.
But these engineers, who worked
months on hundreds of large scale maps,
and with the aid of nationwide cor
respondence of more than fifteen thou
sand personal letters asking information
and advice know this system is only ten
tative. 1t is but suggestion. 1t is
not intended to be anything else. There
must be beginning to everything, and
little Roadway can be made without
some such careful plan from which to
start.
Study the map and see where your
home lies with relation to the highways.
If it is on Main, Trunk or Link Line,