The Cordele dispatch. (Cordele, Ga.) 19??-1971, 1919-06-13
SOLID FRONT FOR HIGHWAYS

SOLID FRONT FOR HIGHWAYS
Georgia is developing some fights
which promise the state no further
relief from present inadequate and
very poor highway laws When the
| legislature meets next month it will
| be confronted with the greatest
conglcmeration of highway measures
in the world, These will each have
their little group of strong support
ers and each group will go to Atlanta
fully satisfied that there is but one
solution, that, of course, in its own
specific measure offered and cham
pioned
The state highway gislation pro-
posed by the special legislative ccnl-
mittee is already assied with such
strength as would indicate that it
has not the shadow of a chanc =
There are some vital weak points II
it. For instance, the four thousand
tliles of paved roads which the state
would undertake to build under this
law would be wholly inadequate,
and would give Georgia only paved
roads from large city to large city,
The out-of-the-way tax payer IL
n.lep who made denials Of self in
terests and voted for road bonds be-
cause he thought good roads would
contribute immensely to the whole
common interests of all the people
WOulG in this meaure be defeated,
even in that broad, good purpose, for
Crisp would get very little per
N nent road work under sthe 1000
rifles provision That limitation viii
have to be removed before the law
can in the smallest sort of way fill
the needs of those counties already
ia position to go ahead with their
i..AIAg.
II must be remembered, too, that
anV law which the state passes now,
will have the effect of transferring
the federal funds from the counties
direct, TO the state and the federal
fund will hence forward be dis
bursed by the state. 1t is the refore
vitality important that we have the
right state legislation at the start.
We have another complaint to
make against the bill provided by
the special Legislative committee,
the bill which the people are asked
to support 1t does not provide for
the beginning of road paving in the
counties. 1t apportions the work by
congressional districts and thus will
badly improverish the rural counties
with many miles of roads that need
improvements far worse than the
highways in the well settled districts
Take for example the fifth congress
sional district and compare with the
third. There can be no fair basis Of
equalizing the aportionment of funds
even with these two if they must be
put on an even footing at the start
The third needs more miles of paw
ing than the fifth any way you may
figure it.
But it will be wise to get behind
some particular legislation and fight
for it. Friends of the measure ought
to supply the needed improvements
and put it forward with a statewide
backing 1t will take that to eliminate
the thousand other bills that are in
process of formation now. 1t will be
easier to us if we eliminate the de-
fects in the main measure and then
present a solid front for it. Failing
to do that, it would be thousand
times better to remain as we are, be-
cause we do not want to tie up the
federal fund in state troubles and diff
ferences as hey exist now among
the forces trying to adopt so many
measures.