The Washington herald., 1914-11-22
ASK j. 5. To AID
ROAD BUILDERS
Congress of Those Interested
in Highways Urges
Federal Help.
BORLAND EXPLAINS PLAN
Division Into Three Classes Necessary
to Efficient Improvement Work.
He Asserts.

That exactly the same reason does moi
exist in the several States for the i'm
provement of their roads was set forth in
the unanimously adopted report of the
resolutions committee OF the American
Road Congress just held in Atlanta. Ga.
with the largest attendance ever attracted
to a highways meeting.
With delegates from all over the coun-
| try present, II naturally followed that
Federal aid in good roads called for
much attention in the deliberations of the
congress. accentuated by the fact that
the American Automobile Association CO.
operated with the American Highway
Association in the conduct OF the gather
ing.
Chairman W. Tom winn of the resolu-
tiOns committee presented this reference
to Federal Cooperation"
Resolved. That the American Road
Congress emphatiCally indorses the prin-
ciple OF Federal cooperation toward the
construction Of main highways and thus
assist the several States to build the
main market roads in the one-half OF
the country which is devoted to agricul-
ture and to build through main roads in
the one-half Of the country which is not
predominantly agricultural. but whose
prosperity depends upon mining, the rais-
ing of live stock. and the presence Of the
health-seeker and tourist"
Congressman W. P. Borland made the
principal address at the Federal aid
session presided over by Chairman Diehl,
of the A. A. A. good roads board, and the
Missouri Representative thus summed up
the situation:
1T is easy enough to shout good roads
and TO convey the adroit impression on
the minds of every hill farmer that he
will have the road pass his place: but
when We get down to practical business
We will find only a very limited per-
centage can ever be improved to a high
condition and that these roads must be
the ones which will serve the greatest
number OF people. 1t is very easy to de-
feat the whole plan by appeals to the
prejudices of those voters who would be
led to believe that they will get no direct
benefit from the roads. II is possible even
to infiame them to high indignation
against the people whom they think will
be benefited.
Must Classify Roads.
1T will be necessary in my judgment
to classify all existing highways into at
least three classifications. The first is the
great cross-State or Interstate highways
reaching into every county in the State,
and opening up every section to the bene-
fits of the improved land values. freer
social intercourse and higher intellectual
life. The second is the main feeders or
great country roads; and third, the by
roads, local roads or lanes. These vari-
Gus classes of roads should be built, i'm
proved and maintained with a view to
the amount of traffic they can bear and
must bear. The first class should be of
the most permanent and scientific con-
struction. The second class. could be of
less expensive nature and r~o1 1ld need less
The third class could be i'm
proved only to the extent that the COM
required. The roads of the first
class should be supported by the taxing
power of a large area of the country,
including at least the entire State be-
cause the wealth gathered in the cities
ought to contribute to them. The second
class of roads should also have a wide
taxing power at least co-eXtensive with
the county and possibly with a group OF
or with some State aid. This
would leave the small road district or
local community only the burden of the
smaller or purely local roads. However,
much politicians may twist and turn and
argue about the question We must event
ually come to some scientific solution OF
the problem. ! realize that when we be-
gin to talk about real road improvement
political difficulties of all kinds are en-
what the people will demand in
the next few years IN this country is
good roads and not politics"