The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-10-13
FOR GOOD ROADS
Eastern Kansas Association
Starts Aggressive Campaign.
Issues Map of Roads in Second
District.
HIGHWAYS IN BAD SHAPE
President Smith Proposes Plan
for Better System.
Induce Legislature to Act in
Road Problem.

Pleasanton, Kan, Oct. 13.-An
automobile road map of the eastern
sectio,. of Kansas has been publish
ed by the Eastern Kansas Good Roads
association. The map shows all the
best routes of travel in the Second
Congressional district and also shows
the system of inter-county highways
which when permanently improved
would enable the road travelling pubhc
to reach any farming community IN
any kind of weather
1t is a purpose of the association
to induce the Legislature. to enact a
law for the improvement of the roads
in the state. 1t is particularly desired
10 procure legislation whereby the
counties will have the privilege of
improving the intercounty roads pre-
cedent to all other county highways.
j. Frank Smith, president of the as
sociation makes the following state
inent:
Improve Inter-County Roads.
THE dirt roads of Kansas have be-
come badly 'demoralized' by the eX-
cessive rains of the past eight
months. Their bad condition all this
year has demonstrated very forcibly
the need of permanent roads Mr..
-Akers, state treasurer. suggests a state
bond issue of 100000 to be used
in building permanent state roads.
The plan is a good one and Will be q
splendid thing for Kansas if the peo-
pie can be induced to vote for 1t. This
suggestion probably contemplates the
main cross-state highways.
My plan contemplates u complete
inter-county system of highways that
Will benefit nearly every tax payer in
the country y here the law is applied.
1t can be put into operation immedi-
ately after the law has been enacted
by petitions of the taxpayers in any
county. The bill provides that the
county pay 10 per cent of the cost,
the township 10 per cent and the adj
iacent land 10 per cent. If desired
county through which a national or
state highway passes could use its
funds to permanently build this road
before any other county roads would
be improved. Under this law, if all
the counties along the national high
ways would proceed at once to improV-
ing such roads, they would be COM
pleted about as quickly as if the state
were to build them. The counties,
townships and property adjacent
would pay the costs and get the bene-
hts. The per cent of the cost by the
county, township and adjacent lands
may be changed as these percentages
are not fixed. Also the one mill tax
might be increased if desired.
There was no important general
road legislation at the last session of
the legislature principally for the rea-
son that there was no organized eff
fort made by the advocates of better
loads for any definite laws. In order
to insure the enactment of needed
road laws by the next session there
should be an understanding among
the good roads advocates and good
reads associations as to what laws
were most needed and then an edu-
cational and political campaign started
that will bring about the passage of
the desired laws. Also each political
party should see that capable and
aggressive road men are nominated
for county commissioners and town.
ship officers and that candidates for
the legislature favor better road laws
State Laws Are Desired
Here are a few of the proposed
laws that would help greatly:
IAN amendment to the state consti-
tuition permitting the state to engage
in road building.
"A law providing for the building of
roads with state convicts
"A bridge law that will prevent any
trust or combination of bridge com
panies.
"A law that will provide for a small
tax levy for building permanent roads
in every county.
"A law giving the state engineer OF
engineering department more funds
and more authority in the matter of
road and bridge building, and provid-
ing for a competent county engineer
to supervise the road work in each
county.
IF these laws were enacted and put