Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-08-02
Good Roads and Good Government
Synonymous, Declares Francis X. Lester

Statesmanship,' and If the enthus-
iasm of conventions and good roads
days leads us naturally to this stage.
such enthusiasm is fully justified. SO
far as the road building interests of
New Mexico are concerned, 1t seems
that we are now in this stage of con-
structive craftsmanship. using the
hroadest sense of that term. And
I purpose in this brief annual adj
dress, to confine my remarks to this
phase of the good roads question
Cooperation Essential.
Road administrative affairs in New
Mexico naturally come under the
heads Of state and county admins
tration A careful comparison OF our
state road administrative laws ana
their administration with the cOndi-
tons in other commemorative shows
New Mexico to he fairly well adj
vanced. our state highway commits
sion exists under wise act which
endows broad powers and when III
practice IS producing excellent re-
suits The successful working 81
state and countrywide road ofsahlza-
ton Is dependent upon the recosni-
ton of the state highway commission
as the head of our road administra-
thoughts that | wish to leave with
you is that If we are to have the
highest measure of practical results
| in our state and county road work,
the warmest support and cooperation
must be given by our county authofi-
ties to our state highway commission.
We may not realize in some counties
| the breadth of vision necessary III
| the administration of state ROAD al
| fairs by that commission. We insist
upon cooperation for the building OF
| a road that is largely of local bene-
| fit; We sometimes fail to recognize
| the necessity of first building, IN a
state road system-if not in any sys-
ltem-those main arteries which must
serve as the backbone of a highway
system. and which. to be of the great
est good, must connect with the nign
way arteries of adjoining states.
| little realize-sOme of us-the dllli-
eulties of our state highway conf
mission, caused by these numerous
calls for assistance and cooperation
from so many localities OF our staee'
and the impossibility OF grahtine
even a small part of those demands
| from the small funds available. oui
i one mill state tax for road purposes
| Yields about $4,000 per annum' N
Arizona the state road tax yleid'
| $250,000 a year---about three times
as much. Few of us appreciate tht
magnitude of this task of buildini
our state highways or the lnsighiis
cant smallness of our availahle stat'
road funds for undertaking tina
task.
Expert Supervision.
/ If any one principle of suecesstu
road administration is recognized pN
national and international authori
ties as being the most important
lis that of connecting local road 40
tministration with non-politicai cen
trail authority.
In considering the matter or roa'
legislation. we must place the wei
fare of the state as whole nefer'
1 the selfish interests of our respec
tive counties. 1t is true that we ar
lall here as county representatives AM
that we owe duty to those coun
ties but II Is equally true that w
are here as citizens of a state an
that our first duty is to guard ina
! states welfare, without which on
counties must suffer. Let us ap
proach this matter of road legisia
ton with broad. unselfish thoughts
with a recognition of the varied In
: terests and the wide range OF conai
lions that exist in our various cohh
! tries. and with a Relation OF IN
; fact that the ideal can seldom De az