Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-10-05

The advocates of good roads for the
State of Maine We're in Augusta in full
force on Wednesday. In the morning
at 1880 a meeting Of the directors Of
the Maine Automobile Association was
held in the banquet hall at the Angus
ia House. at which 1t was voted to lend
the support of the association to the
work of furthering good road propa-
ganda in general, and to support the
proposed mill tax system of raising
money to carry on the work Of build
ing trunk lines throughout Maine. A
committee of three was elected to pre-
pare an amendment to the highway law,
defining the duties and powers of the
highway commission.
This meeting was a closed one. but
in the afternoon an open meeting Of
the Good Roads workers Of the State
was held at $50 in the same room.
Walter S. Wyman. president of the Au-
susta Board of Trade gave a short
address of welcome to the delegates,
about $50 in number. and introduced
Prof. George T. Files of Bowdon Col
lege as chairman of the meeting. In
his introductory speech Mr.. Wyman
called attention to the fact that the
good roads question can never be con-
sdered in a narrow sense or as pure
~ local issue. that it is of vital i'm
| portance to the entire State. and that
good roads throughout Maine would
| mean from % to so per cent. longer
life to all automobiles owned in the
State, besides being Of the greatest i'm
portance to the farming districts.
Prof Files had slips Of paper pass
ed around for the members present to
place their names and addresses upon,
as no other list was available. The
temporary secretary was then elected,
D. w Hoegg of Portland being chosen,
Prof. George T. Files
Prof. Files then made a very able in
troductory address, in which he out
lined the past and present policies of
the State in its construction of roads,
and showed the vital necessity of the
work being carried on in years to come
He stated that we are at present acting
under the wsest State laws for the
distribution of road money that exist
anywhere, and he commended highly
the work of the State Highway Com
mission.
He referred to the fact that the
Grange had at times seemed opposed
to the construction of the trunk lines.
and said that 100000 have been ex-
pended in the construction of these
lines, 100000 yearly have been expend-
ed for the past four years, and he
said that the new federal law makes
the same wise distribution of the mon
ey which it provides for State road
aid.
He also said that if these roads are
to be worth anything they cannot be
built more cheaply than at present un-
der existing conditions. He referred
to history to prove that the trunk line
was the original method of road build
ing: that Rome had these trunk lines
running into Gaul, and he said that
the building of trunk line in Maine
is fundamentally for the economic
good of all the people in the State and
not for the tourist alone. He then said
that out of the 100000 raised for this
purpose. there will be little more
than 5000 900 left in 1917 to carry on the
work. He stated that in New York
state there has been an appropriation
Of $50. 100000 made for constructing
trunk lines. and he also gave figures
for other states that were in about the
same proportion, and he then asked
how the money is to be raised in
Maine, either by asking the Legislature
to authorize another big bond issue, or
to do 1t as we support our schools, by
the mill tax, to apply all over the
State. and on all kinds Of property.
He went on to say that of the mon
ey raised by auto taxes there now re-
mains about $4,000 available after
paying the interest on the bond issue,
and this money will be needed to main