Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-08-14
Of tho General Assembly:

ing available OF the allotment OF Fed
oral aid to road building in Virginia.
presented the extraordinary condition
for which you have requested this
meeting OF the Gcneral~hssembly.
1t seems proper that should in
dicatc my reasons for not having COM
piled with an insistcnt demand for the
calling by the executive OF this spc
cial session. 1t was widely contendcd
that unless provision was made to
meet about a million Of dollars OF
Federal road aid at once that II would
be lost to the State. because. pre-
scribcd by the Federal statute. that
sum must be appropriated and 'cx-
pended" by June 80. 1920. 1t was fur
ther contcndcd that the proposed in
crease in the automobile tax for 1920
could not be made available during
that year because large number OF
License would be issued prior 10 the
regular meeting of the General AS
scmbly and that what was called
retroactive act" could not be enacted
increasing the cost OF licenses taken
at the 1919 rate. II was asserted that
q million and a half dollars would
be lost in machinery allotted TO the
state by tho Federal government, for
lack OF funds with which 10 pay the
freight thereon.
Wanted People Educated. =.
The assurance by the Secretary OF
Agriculture and his legal advisor that
the word expended in the Federal
act was TO DC construed As contracted
to erpend" or agreed TO expend" Uas
sibil!ty Of the loss OF this Federal
aid. The knowledge that tho auto
license and not a contract: and that
the Legislature Of 1920 could increase
the automobile tax 80 per cent. and
that the revenue derived therefrom
no Ia n ynr
the same year; tho illusions OF lost
machinery dispelled by the. prefer of
personal aid; the failacy that the is
suance o. road bonds might be ex-
pedited by a special session: the fccl-
ing that a road ia~ which contem-
( plates the expenditure OF vast sum
Legislature elected upon that issue
where the people have had frli op-
portun!ty for the discussion Of the
subject. and the thought that you
gentlemen were probably OF the same
opinion. because AT the last acssion !
appeared before your committees ana
when in your Judgment. you PROVIDED
only a tax OF : cents for roads; and
the small additional impoE necessary
IN 1890 10 assure Federal aid. ALL con-
hrmed my conviction thai no such ex-
iraordinary condition existed as 10
justify the calling OF the General rs
sembly by me into special session.
| deemed i, advisable before entering
upon vast Legislative program ioF
road building that campaign OF chu-
cation should be conducted in iNrEinia,
that our people might he more fully
Impressed with the benefits that come
OF good roads and that they shonlu
a relatively small contribution from
their wealth great highway system
may be developed.
otism our farmers have increased their
acreage. and II would work great
hardship upon them during harvest to
nnfa With -
Contracts for road building must now
be made at exorbitant prices. BY next
summer conditions will be, 1 believe.
near the normal.
All of Same Mind.
Thu giving OF my reasons for not
calling the General Assembly feel is
due to the people OF the State at this
time but they are not recited nov in
the slightest spirit Of criticism Of the
coming Of the General Assembly, which.
acting under it's constitutional power,
and with view 10 the public welfare.
has requested this call. We are all OF
the same mind that the subject OF
good roads in Virginia is. with a lower
cost OF living and better schools and
better paid teachers, paramount in the
minds Of our people. In my inaugural
address I said:
will revo!utionize transportation, and
what great canal and highway systems
In continental Europe are accomplish
ms as natural regulators OF railway
freight rates. well developed highway
systems will prove in this country.
These highways will not only regu-
late traffic rates. but will feed common
carriers to their profit. It is needless
to discuss further the dement's to be
body wants them; the problem is how
best they can be secured.
In my opinion. the State should
establish and develop system of State
roads. Appropriations should be made
to render available corresponding an
propriatiiSons by the Federal goven-
mitted to the people whether they will
amend the Constitution SO that an ade-
a .ia fq md may be derived from the
tion Of comprehensive highway sys-
tenn. The discussion Of road buildinr
At two sessions Of tho General Assem-
upon the issue, followed by submission
to the people. will prove OF great edu
cational value and enable the people
at the polls 10 pass finally upon the
question. Then, no doubt, the war will
t hays termin ;as and the price of ma
justed to the normal.
Offers Heartbeat Co-Oper,tJon
Tho. building OF system of bis,
ways is vast undertaking. IT In
Sooives The expenditure OF great sum
t tion o on ih ana At this time the prosecu-
hdEh cost of material and labor nos.
. iho d inteTterence with farm labor and
parts Of the State '"e various
lime has accentuated my feeling on
this subject and in your efforts ~
,solye the problem of meeting the FED 10
era AID and building highways. Vol,
shaii nave my heartiest co-operation
mo conditional proffer of Federal
road aid in large amounts at this linz
makes II necessary primarily 10 nro-
vide AGAINST It's loss. but we must NOT
lose sight of the needs of the countv
highway systems which are SO neces,
sary TO the comfort and prosperity of
our people and which in due time must
be built-these should be provided Tor
by general appropriation. else we SHAH
jeopardize the full benefits derived
from &the plan OF partial segreration
in taxation which has been adonted
by this State.
The total Federal aid, including sums
previously allowed. which has To he
matched by the Commonwealth is as
follows: "
Before June 30. 1920 sl,5se.155
beIore June 81, l92l ....... 1,SS4,9OO
Before June 30. 1922 I9Sii0G