The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-01-28
IEWETTS NOVEL PLAN
Popular Wichita Delegate springs
Good Roads Views.

Ed s. Jewett, former politician and
warden of penitentiary under the
Stanley administration. is a delegate
to the Good Roads convention here to-
DAY. Here's what he said and it's
worth reading:
IF the constitution of the state prohibits
the state from entering iutO the business
Of assisting il making good roads then /
could. We will have no practical road
construction until the state, i'll connection
with counties. cities, townships aud abut-
ting property, builds first thru the state
main or trunk roads. the construction of
which will simulate the making of con-
nectinE lines by cities, counties and town
i would favor the building of a state
road. or perhaps two of them, from central
points GA the east line OF the state to its
west line. / would not have these roads
rHHuiug in zigZag directions to pick up
city All that one but would have
possible. | would then have cross roads,
Of which there should he severai. run thru
the state from the north to the solIth line
Of the state. Counties, townships, cities
and toNl.s would soon-builh good roads to
the main or cross roads. The state should
pay certain per cent of the ~cost of these
main fines. Z counties. townships cities
and abuttinS property each certain per
cent of the cost. the state paving perhaps
one-half. 80 per cent, and the counties,
townships, cities and abuttiug property
paving the other half
Il do not believe in the construction of
these roads entirely thru a tax collected
FROM automobile owner. : very great
number OF the automobiles owned in the
state vi Kansas are owned. as matter of
fact, by people In very ordinary Circum-
stances. There is only certain per cent
of the automobile owners that would use
these ronGs in general way. That is,
would be going long di. anres over these
should he made and collected from auto
mobile owners. tending to lessen the levies
upon the property % the nbuttng owner.
general farm purposes would be increase'l
ut least 80 per acre MS soon ms one of
This plan. in my judgment. would at
fonce eliminate II rot of trouble that will
result from the zigzf gGing of roads over the
state in order to make connections with
county seats, giving them II sperial con-
siIfr:.ti II over other towns in the counties.
'KaTs"s en- afford to spend large sum
OF mnTcv for good roads. IT Is absolutely
N-Tst!ry. that is.-thp various road districts
over the state. enough money every five
ycHrs in the building of dirt roads. and
cheap culv""ts I" pay 70" building one OF
the main lines Of road across thu stnte. The
E9,,rrum2nt is seG,iiEG to finl put what
country or rurrl life which is the pro-
noting c;ure Of IT'S descrtion for city life
Cool roads will acromplish more than
Gny other fHctnr towards mTkiUg rural life
',"Firrb'c. giving IS they will. oppnrtuni-
tbs for, social contact which ~ rot now
ray tl"t we cnnuot afford to siieud money
to prn.lucP these conditions. The cities are
i'rpWiNH tCp mNtn AT me cNfeHSe or rural
re-. The lot cites of th's country are
tho weak pc'"ts in thGt viri1o life ncccs-
s@rv I'm m"';p'- Us n strong nat!or.
Give VS. goo roH''s "Fd we will give to
rrr.,l fife fCfturr which viii make it
attractive End profitable ard which will
s'dd millions q dollars to the vTlue of the
frrIns I'm tt's stato I hone That the good
ronds convention here will favor no plans
~ schemes that do rot t";" in every part
of the state. nud I DO pot think TINT any
plan cfu hc cnn"ctvrd t1Int will he more
nrar+ic"l th~" tie one have outlined. To
Illustrate: Th" st1fr bu''ds mGin line
P"st rp-' v-o~t thru tip STAT" twenty miles
north IF Wirhitn (nr sonth as the case
Ia'rht bel aud y cross rond north and
s"uth. crs. vast of Wichita II would
rot t"'-o Vich'ta anv longer time then is
p-nri - b. low 20 vote bonds tn cons ruct
y ro" I""dirg 10 one or the o+har Of thnsH
rc9.,s. T,v~T9' sn~rt Of tho cp+'rp state OF
I-T-'s-~ - q fr'- vc" RS v-oIi No connected
r., ~ ., 49, $780,, ,.rr~~ 't.'a r"rIs"