Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1913-08-15
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TAXPAYERS URGE GOOD ROADS
Representatives of Both Town ana
Country Vots in Favor OF lax
to Create a State Fund.

There never has been in the past
30 much discontent over the disconi
fort of travelling over mud roeds as
there Is at the present time WINE
it we'll known that the making OF haro
roads in communities where there Is
no hard material must Involve al
enormous expense, yet more anu ll.oie
taxpayers are expressing WILLIS
ness to be taxed for permanent roaos.
This was plainly indicated at loau
conference held in Des Moines' Id,
where. 200 delegates composed OF
typical representatives of both to"n
and country voted unanimously III
favor Of a one-lnill tax TO create
state aid fund, says the Iowa home
steader In the past the best tha'
Iowa has been able to do along lh'a
line has been to support non-s&larleh
highway commission with but Ntt!o
power and with practically no money
to work with.
This same conference endorsed al
most unanimously the establishment
OF permanent highway commlsslo&
Nth ample power. In addition roc
u.nmendation was made 10 the leg1sla
tuFe to submit the question OF ooEd
ing the state for good roads purposes
10 the people at tho next general cleo
ton.
We appreciate the fact that THIS
program IS not endorsed by all the
people and 1t Is just possible that al
the present time 1t may not meet WIFE
the endorsement OF even majority
but the rapidly changing feeling indi
Gates that the time will soon come
when all states Of the corn belt will
undertake the construction Of per
manent roads. This being the case tho
question Of administration in the I'M
portant one to beside. In this matter
there are established precedents
which may be safely followed and
these presidents In every case tend
In a greater or less degree to centrall-
cation. In other words. wherever good
roads have been economically built Ill
this country they have been built
under the general supervision OF the
state under a plan of coordination
with the county and with the town
ship. No plan will every. work out
practically In the corn belt that does
not in a large way leave with the 10
csl,ty the authority to say when they
are willing TO bear the expense OF
good roads. When 1t Is decided to In
cur the expense Of building per.
nanent roads the township, county and
state Will as units find themselves
compelled through the operation OF
eound business principle to ADOPT
plans and specifications prepared oy
the best available talent, whether this
be furnished by the nation or by the
state.
The most urgent need at the pres
ent time in all states OF the corn belt
Is the classification OF highways In Or
der that the question for all time may
he settled as to what constitutes main
roads and which are the secondary
hiqhways. This recommendation was
made to the legislature at the lows
road conference referred to. When
this plan Is once carried out we will
then know definitely the order In
which our roads should be permanent
" improved. 1t Is well-known fact
that 90 per cent. OF the rural traftice ID
carried on over 10 per cent OF tn"
highways and certainly the first move
should be to improve this ten per cent
In the meantime we are strongly In
favor of keeping the secondary roads
in the best possible condition by the
construction Of suitable culVerts
wherever they are needed and by the
sensible and compulsory use OF tn"
drag. There will always be large and
important township and county duties
50 that no man need have fear that
the adoption Of permenent road ad
ministration will in any way interfere
with the principle Of local govern
rnent