The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-01-12

/ which the government should ps<tici-
pate in highways construction. Ia q
BELIEF which is becoming country
vide in its acceptance, The latest
proposition brought forth along these
lines is W Representative Stanton
Warburton. Of Washington State. who
contends for a system of national MILL
/ tary roads,
Mir. Worburton proposes TO make
for the building Of theae national
highways through this imposition Of a
tax SO small that the smokers will so
right on smoking a usual without con-
! seriousness Of The great benefit they
are bestowine upon the people OF this
country.
The plan contemplates trunk lines
connecting The capitals OF every State
with The national capital, and with
each other, and also with the principal
national parks. the government to To-
cate the linee between the capitals
along the most feasible routes, with
the States granting TO the government
the selected roadways, together with
/ the Improvements thereon.
In HE announcement Congressman
Warburton says: u propose to raise
the fund by restoring the Internal
revenue tax OF 1879 on tobacco and
set aside the additional income from
this source as a. national road fund.
The additional tax so provided would
amount to about s0.000,000 per year.
a. little more than double the present
internal revenue tag on tobacco. II
the proposed $4,000 miles road system
| should cost $4,000 per mile, 1t would
ak
in about Eve years at g. cost OF S2b,opo
per mile.
IN 1910. according to tbs reports
~ the internal revenue department,
the receipts from the tobacco tax were
$4,000, 090, as opposed TO sfs8,ooo.ooo
had the law Of 1879 then been en-
forced. While the proposed Increased
tax on tobacco might seem heavy, as
a matter Of fact 1t will not be noticed
| by the consumer. For instance. 1t
| would raise the tax on a ten cent cigar
! three tenths OF one cent and the man
,&acturer Of that cigar would decrease
the weight Of the package one-thir-
| tieth. and the consumer could not tell
the difference in size. The nhanufac-
turer OF smoking tobacco would de-
crease the size of the package about
one-twelfth. and the consumer would
not know the difference During the
Spanish American way the tax on
tobacco was Increased to the amount
, Of faxsuggested, and venture TO say
not one consumer out OF dozen ever
knew the tax VAS raised, and never
knew when IL was taken of the
7 proposed rErEe III tire Ia = " ret at
rect the producer OF tobacco, for one
. half Of our tobacco is exported Eng
land imports one-h half Of her tobacco
from US; France, one half: Italy.
! nearly all Of hers. The price is regu-
I lated by the foreign market, much
more than Is the price Of wheat ana
crop. and 's not affected by the tax.
Congressman WarbUrton Will be IN
Guided in the list of speakers OF ths
second federal aid convention called by
the American Automobile association
/ 10 take place III Washington, Marcn
/ sth and 4th, at the Raleigh, and which
bids fair TO be the most representative
/ gathering Of roads enthusiasts ever
j gotten together Sentiment has cry
/ etaliized rapidly since the convention
Of wear ago. with the result that AT
( the coming assembly definite ano I'M
portans action may be expected. ne
! question In big one. but with the
( whole country Interested, ana with the
attitude Of congress favoraols there
/ ia ~, longer any auesftor,, ,that stn ls
/ sedgYst government aaSasd rar@sctgA~s@
! In this grsat undertaking.
Assurances rom yartous mem oers OF
the congress are TO the erect that tns
, memorial 10 Ahrham Lincoln snoalu
he in the form OF the projected ma
/ tiona1 highway from Washington 20
/ c;ettvgburg. 1t 10 generally recos-
nize6 that this highwav would furnish
an exceuen. object lesson of what
| national participation in the ouiidlns
| az good roads means. and VIII De
| sides, If constructed. At adnliraoiy into
amy great system Of national hish-
( ways which " certain TO come IN 1o-
/ ture Year,,
/ rndianians Plan Trip
I INpIANAPoLrs, Jan. il.-~At
! O'Clock on the evening OF the LIST OF
! next July Indiana's great automootie
/ tour 20 tho Pacific coast Will leave
! this city so definitely are the pre-
I parations being made that even the
| time OF the departure can be annouuc-
! ed.
| Automobile Manufacturers assoc!a-
| ton adopted the plans proposed for
! the Journey from the Hoogisr capital
I &c either San Francisco or TIos Ange-
! les. II will bs pathfnd!ng expedi-
/ ton for tho great rock road which
1 some day will extend from the Allan
! tie to the Pacific oceans. and for hum
! dreds Of tourists who yearly travel
/ across the continent. Not only did
| they heartily approve Of the general
| route and the details. hut they ais.
supported this by the definite promise
| of the entry of twenty-ssx cars From
! the start 10 finish the tour will have
| no parallel in notordom, because
/ of Its general plan, it's purposes and
| the marvellous amount OF interest
| which IL will arouse.
Fireworks, bombs and Characters
! tic Hooe!sr enthusiasm will have full
! sway at the start. For sixty~lve
u7iles that evening tbs tourists will
run due west to TsxYs 1auts with
the Hocssr Motor club q laa Escort
rhs sDse'aois - the srsss se1s'a1As