El Nuevo mexicano., 1919-04-24
'fFort worth star-TeIegTamJ

~ y " IA 49," Us.
Il am gratified to learn that thii
state Of yours has already mapped on
1000 niles Of good roads. Of Whiol
1000 have been financed. I am graft
lied to know that Texas has taken ad
vantage OF the federal aid law and Il
prepared to match the aid, dollar fol
dollar. Ny own state OF Arkansas
through local legislation, has Just au
~thorized 4,b16 miles of good roads anc
has made possible the ~flotaEion 81
1875, 100000 worth Of bonds for road
~ecnatruction. Our neighbof, Okla
homa, Viii soon submit by referendum
la $50,00D,000 good roads project.
hope that Texas on November 4 will
10y a tremendous majority authorize
tine $75.000.0OO road bond issue"
These words Of Governor Bfough 81
Arkansas before the convention Of the
National Good Roads Association,
summing up as they do a tremendous
road building program for the South
west, ough to be sufficient to insure
the support Of any patriotic Texas cit
izen to the constitutional amendment
authorizing the legislature to issue
road bonds to a total Of $75,0O0,O0o.
For in a short paragraph the whole
road situation in the Southwest is
here presented. The next lew years
are going to witness the building In
the Southwest OF one OF the finest
road systems In the world, and not
only Arkansas and Oklahoma, but
New Mexico and Arizona also will be
part OF it. Texas can not afford to
remain out Of this movement and II
will not remain out. We believe Gov.
ernor Hobby reflected the prevailing
sentiment Of the state when he de-.
clarsd that the amendment would be
adopted by an overwhelming majority.
That means that $500. 100000 will be
spent by the three. states OF Texas,
Oklahoma and Arkansas In the next
five or ten years, IL this program As
carried out, and at least as much more
win be spent that will be provided by
federal aid and county bond issues.
1t is not too much to say that the
present outlook is that a half billion
dollars will be invested in good roads
in this section OF the country in the
next ten years, an average of $780,
100000 a year. Indeed, that Is a CON
sentative estimate. based upon pres
ent plans and probabilities.
1t is not possible TO estimate what
this win mean to this section Of the
country. Something Of what it will
mean can be imagined from another
paragraph in Governor Brough's
Hard surface roads, he saic,
reduce the cost of travel for the
from 25 cents per ton per mile
10 5 cents per ton per mile. They
make rural life attractive and build up
strong consolidated school and church
districts. The building Of roads checks
he dangerous movement of the coun-
Try people to the city's congested dis
Senator Bankhead of Alabama
liso limited at what it will mean when
ie said that men who are present at
he Mineral Wells convention Will
i've to g the day that the Bankhead
National highway will be filled with
rucks and automobiles carry more
reight across the continent than are
low carried by the Southern Pacific
abroad.
Good roads were always important
n the march of civilization. But the
coming of the automobile and the mo-
or truck has increased their value to
UGH an extent that they have become
Practically the most important factor
n progress and. development In states
Ike Texas. The road building pro-
ram Of the Southwest therefore
means that the next ten years are to
8 years Of unprecedented progress
Or this entire section of the country.
| new era is beginning in many fields
t endeavor and not the leastiof those
ields is that of road building. /