El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-04-03
LOWERING OF THE RAILROAD RATES
WOULD STIMULATE ROAD BUILDING

TTTHE the government urging the states to cooperate
w IN mammoth road building program, cooper
alton from the party of the first part in the matter Of
railroad rates would be appreciated Moreover It IS essen
ta to the Of the program The country needs
lower freight rates road building materials The pre-
vang rates retained in effect by the railroad adnstra-
ton are an obstruction to highway construction. They
tend make costly States which must tax or bond
themselves TO match the governments tender OF funds hest
tate to do so when they aPpensnd that much OF their
money must 90 into transportation charges which they
consider ezorbitaDt
Eliminating the hindrancs most states look favOrably
on the governments offer Texas has before it proposal
amend the state constitution so to allow Of S75
100000 bond issue to put up against similar sum FUR
uished BY the government making S150OOOOOO available
Tor hard surfaced roads every county Of The state An
VIII have about S3OOOOO0 to match against me gov
ernments money and New Mexico at least 100000 and
perhaps more Thus the southwest has shown DISPOSE
ton the government half way Other states are
doing the same and miles Of expected to be
built this year than in any other year IN the nations his
orv The secretary Of agriculture authority for the
statement that If all states take advantage Of the opPor
tunity offered and make available for roadbuding
equivalent those which the government has appoioned
a total Of s34s,soo,ooo may be expended
The roadbuidng proposition is most attractive Every
state recognizes the value Of roads The increasing
popularity Of the automobile the growing Of the mo
Tor truck for transportation Of commodities over relatively
short distances in preference to trains the desabty Of
having good roads for farmers and ranheTs to in
ketng their produce make good roads essential They
recognized being necessary in the country
street in town.
And it is not every day that the government viii share
the expense Of state road building This Is Of the
greatest Inducements TO do It now
Another sUuTng feature which is receiving consideration
every state is that launching program Of highway
struction way provided to furnish work for
unemployed mec whether they be soldiers sailors civil
han The need for that is pressing in many parts of the
country It is recognized that should have work be-
il is their due Secondary they should have it be-
employment automatically combats the spread of
BolshsYik doctrines The spread Of radical socialism is the
worlds Considerations Of patriotism and self
preservation dictate that It must be fought with most
effective weapons and whatever ideness and hun
ger and puts little money N the bank bolshe
visu also.
The one chief drawback now Is the railroad rate II
puposely made high BY the railroad administration in
order to cura1 road building during the It served
It's purpose very vel Il operates to prevent road
building, although the is welcome announce
ment from the railroad administration would state
that the rates have been lowered materially as to COL
sute added inducemeut to states to get their work
under way.