The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1919-04-27

would secure the second years ap-
preparation. and when that money
had been spent and the road In that
locality Duit the people In that sec
ton would have alt the roads lhey
could reasonably expect with'h 'hr
uSSt 10 years, and the senator's ana
representative from mat Sn.ilon
would therefore oppose the hppru"
priatiun Of any more money to oulld
roads IN other sections of the state,
ana the same thing would happen
with the third years appropriation
and ~ on until before hdlf the sSs-
TEN had been built there would hc
majority Of the senators and repre-
scnthilycs with roads hunt IN ihrlr
respective localities would would re-
fuse to appropriate amy more money
10 buiId roads In other parts ~ the
state, or 10 complete the system, ana
they would he unwilling TO suppose
any more taxes upon the constituents
or the senators ana rcpI cscnthINeS
from tho counties IN which the roads
had already been built to construct
roads for the rest ~ tho state. Ihe
building Of the roads would there
fore stop ana the rest of the state
would continue To crawl through inc
mud
Az the best road constructed
under that system would be n mere
patchwork rond scattered over the
state In sections having the strong
est political pun" with the legisla-
turc or with the locating authority.
The bona issue could not he then
voted 10 build tho system. hecauS"
those sections Of the state which had
gotten their roads would not vote to
bond themselves 10 build roads Tor
the rest OF the people OF tho state
I, In therefore impossible To build
sintc-wlGe systrm under the leRis-
lative appropriation plan, or In any
other way than by "a state bond Is
sue
There is no ono thing that Will
bring 10 oklahoma so .much In tho
way of prosperity or aid so material
" in providing employment Tor the
returning soldiers, sailors and other
unemployed as will the building at
this time of n state Wide system ~
hard surfaced roads, and public
work % such n nature was urged
by President Wilson In his MESSAGE
TO the last congress that there might
he no cause for lshevism In Amer
lea
The building OF these roads VII
lnCrea.e the market value OF the
land Of oklahoma to the extent az
four or five times the amount or
money Invested in building the roads
and will better rural conditions IN
oklahoma The states future de-
pends on her system Of commnnica-
ton and hard surfaced roads In thus
day and time are more essentlhl
than railroad facilities The rail
road Interests are fighting the pro-
posed good roads amendment 10 tho
constitution. and while from sell
fish standpoint they may he tust'
fed In doing so. the people OF the
state should know that their OPP
position Is prompted by selfish mo-
tives The proposed hard surface
roads principally follow the lines Of
railroad and In many instances par
allel tho railroad for many miles,
This situation Is the natural result
OF connecting the principal cities or
the state on these trunk line roads.
when this system has been com
pleted the motor trucks Will carry
the freight which the railroads
would otherwise get. The automo-
hlles will carry the ssenRers which
otherwise would travel bv railroad.
In addition 10 this the railroad lines
are required to pay mileage tax OF
SIS per mile annually " they are
within three miles OF the roads, for
the purpose OF maintaining the
roads In other words, n part OF the
cost OF maintenance of the hard
surface system of roads II placed
on tho railroad companies, Although
the hard surface road becomes n
competitor OF the railroads, they ara
nevertheless required To contribute
"A part OF the cost OF maintenance.
For this reason the railroad Inter
ests are bitterly opposing the Rdop-
tion OF this amendment.
The people OF Tulsa have never
been controlled by selfish motives,
NOR have they been slow to take ad-
vantage OF any opportunity that
presented itself Tulsa has surpassed
all OF It's nelghbors because It's cit
lzenship has been progressive and
fearless: they have not hesitated 10
build the finest bridges In all the
southwest. TO build the finest school
facilities in the state. her citizenship
has not been afraid TO borrow money
to build the fnest office buildings
In the state. Tulsa has pledged her
credit to build magnlficentlv and ~
a result she stands unsurpassed In
ali the southwest She is a leader In
tho ranks OF progress and what
Tulsa has done for herself IN the
past. oklahoma ought to do for her
self now. The people ought to take
advantage OF the first ond only op-
porunIty they have ever had to
build "A statewide system OF hard
surface roads and put oklahoma as
n state in the vanguard OF progress
to lead all the sisterhood OF states
In the hctterment OF her social and
financial conditions.