The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-04-22

iOcd Is simply the enlargement or the
unit used as a basis OF reasoning. What
county seats are TO a State. State CAPT.
tails are to a Nation; and the Larger
cities, so far as the origination Of
tranlc Is concerned. must be figured
as centers Of zones OF influence"
rather than as the principal points in
states or counties.
Provision for the travel between
these great centers, and between seats
or State governments. Would seem to
be the provision Of the Nation. There
are various reasons for this:
ta) The Interstate character Of such
ROADS makes 1t necessary that they
be wider. better and more extensively
built, than the local or State travel
would require or justify.
(b) While an interstate road will
perform all the functions of a state
road a county road. n a township.
road at practically every point along
its line, It's Interstate Importance must
be paramount. A continuous good
road cannot be built or maintained
under divided authority and respon-
sibility.
Co A system of national roads
reaching state capitals at large cities
would give nearly every State in the
Union a North and South and an East
and West road, subject, Of course, to
the locations Of cities and the topo-
graphical conditions.
CD AS the important traffic owe
interstate roads originates mainly in
the large centers of p~opulatnOn, it rs
but just that the large cities pay most
Of the cost. A little reflection shows
that a very large proportion OF national
is derived from commodities
which are mainly consumed In the
cities and larger towns.
The question of State participation
in the cost of interstate highways pre-.
SCENTS several features for cOnsidera-
ton. Several states have not yet or
ganiZed State Highway departments
State and Federal cooperation would
naturally presume h a the state would
be in a position to AXE are Of it
end of the proposition. In man.
states this would require legislation
organization, and delay. Besides, diff
ferences would be necessary in tn
amounts Of participation which shoul
: be exacted from the several states.
> The states with the larger asseSse
: valuation per mile of road, would hav
an d advantage over the states c
= little valuation. unless some plan c
sliding scale were Tn
poorer States need the roads for ma
terial development as we'll as for inter
states uses, while those which are a
u ready developed and rich, would cor
! tribute a greater local traffic, and cor
seQuently should contribute a large
!, percentage Of the cost.
e In the final analysis. however. tn
II logic of the situation inevitably leaC
to the direct establishment of a sys
> tenn Of Interstate roads,-Nation;
II ROads,-by the Federal Governme1
Such roads would lead where the
II would be of the most Importance
!. interstate travel. What the older an
u more thickly settled states would ga
er Immediately by advantage to loc;
Ii. travel would be offset in the new
states by the opportunities for growt
n and development of values. Near
Il every State in the Union which has e.
er gagged in practical road building h;
D. seen the extended traffic so far GU
Re grow all previous experience and q
p possible preliminary estimates that Il
s. establishment Of trunk lines has b
le come a necessity.