El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-11-28
Government AID
FOR ROAD WORK
Two American Congresses
Discuss the Matter From
Different Viewpoints.

That exactly the same reason does
not exist in the several states Tor inc
Improvement of their roads was SET
forth in the unanimously ADOPTED re-
port of the resolutions committee OF
the American Road congress Just held
in Atlanta, Ga, with the largest at
tendance ever attracted to highways
meeting.
country it naturally followed that fed
eral aid in good roads called for much
attention in the deliberations OIL the
congress, accentuated by the fact that
the American Automobile assoclauon
ccOperated with the American High
way association in the conduct OF the
notable gathering.
Chairman W Tom VIM, of the res
olutions committee, presented this EeI-
eTence to Federal Corporations: Re-
solved, that the American Road con-
gTess emphaticauy endorses the prln-
ciple of federal cooperation toward the
construction Of main highways, ana
thus assist the several states to build
the main market roads in the one
half of the country which is devoted
to agriculture and to build though
main roads in the one-half of the
country which is not predOmlnantly
agricultural, but whose prosperity de-
peDds upon mining, the raising 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 6.
c. Diehl of the A. A. A. good roads
beard, and the Missouri represeT tatlve
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 viii
have the road pass his place, but when
VIC get down to practical business we
viii find that only a very limited per-
CCEtage can ever be improved to high
condition and that these roads must
be the ones which will serve the great
est number of people. It is very easy
to defeat the whole plan by appeals
to the prejudices of those voters who
would be led to believe that they will
ger no direct benefit from the roads.
II is possible even to inflOme them
to high indignation against the people
whom they think will be benefited.
TT will be necessary in my Judg-
ment to classify all existing highways
into at least three classificatiOns. The
first is the great cross state or inter-
state highways reaching into every
county in the state, and opening up
every section to the benefits of the i'm
proved land values, freer social inter
course, and higher intellectual life
The second is the main feeders or great
country roads; and third, the byrOads,
local roads or lanes These various
classes of roads should be built, i'm
proved and maintained VITA a view to
the ambunt of traffic that they can
bear and must bear. The first class
should be of the most permanent and
scientific construction. The second
class could be of a less expensive ma
ture and would need less maintenance.
The third class could be improved only
to the exent that the community re-
quired.
THE expense of building and main
tanning these roads should be distrib-
uted upon the same basis. The roads
Of the first class should be supported
By the taxing power of a large area of
country including at least the entire
state, because the wealth gathered in
the cities ought to contribute to them.
The second class of roads should also
have wide taxing power at least CO.
extensive with the county and posi-
bly, with a Group of counties or with
some state aid. This would leave the
small road district or local community
only the burden of the smaller or pure
" local roads However much politi-
clans may twist and turn and argue
about the question we must eventually
come to some scientific solution of the
problem. I realize that when we begin
to talk about real road imprOveme nt
political difficulties of all kinds are
encountered, what the people will de-
mand in the next few years in this
country is good roads and not poh-
tics"