The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1919-04-28
Ex-Governor
Cruce Answered
The Following Is Quoted From the Editorial
Column of a Local Paper, Under
Date of April Is

The statement by Lee Cruce, former governor in oppo
,iton to the s5O00 road bond project is published in
full on page of The News today
II, with the statement by Senator ]. Elmer Thomas,
published some time ago constitutes the chief document
ary expression of the negative side
Lee Cruce is sincere man. lie has the courage OF
his convictions.
But, in the opinion Of The News lie has missed the
heart Of the whole good roads subject, in his discussion
today.
The outstanding feature of the Cruce satemen, is this
That he regards the whole proposition as an EX'
PENSE and oyerooks entirely the INVESTMENT.
lie of the cost.
lie fears the debt.
Blu, he doesn't take into consideration the question Of
whether, through the expenditure for good roads more
money will be returned than is spent
THE NEWS CONTENDS THAT MORE MONEY
MANY FOLD-WILL BE RETURNED.
!! the world had followed the Gruce theory of regard
ing hazardous the investment which increases efficiency
VIC would still be using sppnlng wheels.
A newspaper, for example would never spend ,hous.
ands OF dollars for linotypes il the investment did not
pay 1t would continue 10 set type by hand.
We debate this financial thing up one side and
down the other--we pick the bill apart, and put it
together again. object to this and commend tha,
clause or paragraph or section-but can't get away
from the fact that good roads when We &c, them
PAY.
How they pay be found in hundreds OF public
ords from the capital at Washington on down.
We could prn, this paper full of examples showing
how money is saved time is saved, man-power. horse
We choose TO give bit OF proof in the form OF one
sta,emert--irom Y A. Kramer, state highway engineer
Of Mississippi This statement, unlike the Cruce state
ment doesn't miss the heart Of the subject On the other
hand il hits the heart because it has to do with actual
results from good roads already built against imagn
ary and terrible results from good roads unbui and
conceived in the mind of false prophet of economy who
has lived most of his life in state that knows good
roads not.
Kramer says:
81 sincerely trust that your election on May will
carry in favor OF the bond issue II the citizens Of the
wonderful state of Oklahoma could only see some OF the
remarkable developments that have followed in the wake
OF improved roads in Mississippi and other southern
states there would hardly be vote against your bond
| issue.
Even in the hill counties OF this state. where the
average land IS not fertile being for the most part
over pine lands a remarkable enhancement OF values ha
Immediately followed the construction OF hard surface
! highways Among many such counties are Pike, Lincoln
COpiah Kinds and Madison and others that have bull
systems Of hard surfaced roads Lands that could b,
sold at IS per acre considered heretofore especially b,
investors outside OF the state lands and prac
caly inaccessible, selling today at from SIS to 81!
per acre.
| I'm Madison county Judge W II. Powell a few year.
ago sold 600 at 50 per acre and was glad to &c
that price. After the roads improved, the sam,
place sold for SIS per acre, and could not be bought to
day for $50 per acre.
Another place in the same county consisting OF 800
acres few years ago sold for $40 per acre and
sdcred at that time top price II was sold after III,
roads were Oun of Nv per acre ana - now not Tor sale
Tn Lincoln county where the lumber and logs wer,
hauled to the railroad the employed in this WORK
hauled three loads TO the end Of the hard surfaced roads
and then took the three loads into to the railroad
over the hard surfaced roads
1T is plain TO all ,ha, it takes less feed kee,
up teams and they easily do three times mutf work OF
the same feed
The wear and tear on vehicles has been so great,
reduced until of the repair shops have gone out
business.
Since We have been building roads in this state III,
schools have been wonderfully improved because of bet
ter attendance and the churches in the country are be
coming as good as fssc in town