Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-04-01
TheLessom Of Georgia $ GroqOth
In the Cause OF Good Roads
~ HE growth of the good roads idea in
Georgia is hearteningly exampIed in
$50 the fact that there is available for

SFOWIH OIL Inc SOOu TOduS 1uea III
Georgia is heartening1y exampled in
the fact that there is available for
highway construction and improvement in the
State this year the sum of twelve million six
hundred thousand dollars. The time is not
far gone when this would have been consid-
cred rather large expenditure for the entire
Southeast; but at no very distant day, we
imagine, it will appear too small for even half
the counties of this Commonwealth. For it
is the unvarying history Of the good roads
movement that the further it goes, the greater
is it's momentum and the more abundant its
resources of sustainment
In the old years-a wel1-nigh antedeluvian
past, it now seems-before this movement
was definitely under way or was more than
dream in the hearts of the fOrward-lOokers,
highways which today would be called in
siderable we're accepted as fair enough.
Farmers were losing heavily and continually
because of difficult or broken communica-
ton with markets; and on the same account
city consumers were under-supplied and ex-
cessively charged while large quantities OF
foodstuffs spoiled or went to waste az the
source of production, not many miles away.
Curiously enough, however, when roads were
at their worst, sentiment for their improve
ment was at it's feeblest And of all stages of
the awakening and advance which finally
came, the most difficult was the beginning.
But once fairly begun, how swiftly and
vigorously the reform went forward! It is
doubtful that any other line of American
progress during the last decade or SO has
been so marked in it's widening appeal to
business sagacity and civic pride. Counties
where aforetime it was next to impossible to
pass bond issue or by any other means
raise special fund for public improvements
have come, to be liberal supporters of the
good roads cause, and of kindred enterprises
as well, such schools, sanitation and divers
forms of social co-working. The fruits Of
Pevery dollar efficiently spent for highway
betterment and extension were so manifest
and so beneficial to the interests of each and
all, that people grew to regard OUTLAWS for
this purpose investments which 1t would
be folly not to make. The more efficient the
methods of expenditure and of construction
became, the reader were taxpayers to vote
bonds, and the reader were legislators, state
and federal, to make appropriations for this
cause.
! Thus do we see, in recent seasons, forty
six Georgia counties voting an aggregate six
! teen million, seven hundred and thirty thou
sand dollars of highway bonds. It is worthy
OF note that in nearly every instance these
| were already good-roads counties; for the
very reason that they had good roads, they
| saw the need and felt the inducement for bet
| ter ones. 1t is equally noteworthy that since
these counties have taken forward strides
their less advanced neighbors have begun to
bestir themselves aroused and spurred by
the examples about them So the Caven
spreads, and SO the indication grows that the
almost twelve million dollars which is avail
able for highway work in Georgia this year
will appear in times not very far ahead a
minor rather than a liberal sum for such a
purpose.
This amount 1T should be observed, repre-
sents the maximum construction program
possible for 1920. The March number Of
Southern Good Roads, calculating upon a bas-
is Of figures from the State Highway board,
sets forth the following possible expendi-
| lures"
Federal-aid projects from funds aris-
ing prior to the current fiscal year, al
ready matched by county funds, S.
200, 100000.
Federal-aid projects from 1920-21,
allotment to Georgia when matched by
county funds in equal amounts, $780,
10000.
State-aid projects from 1920--income
when voluntarily met by county funds,
$2,000,000.0O.
This total of twelve million, six hundred
thousand dollars, it will be seen, includes
only part of the county bond issues of near
| ly seventeen million to which we referred. In
deed, it largely upon an understanding
| that the county funds should be supplement-
ed on a "ffty-ffty" basis, by Federal or
State appointments, that the bonds were
idue of the county bond funds for next years
undertakings, and be encouraged by the pros
pect of every dollars being doubled which
| state and county provide.
Most heartening of all. however, is the as
surance that the more spend for good
! roads, the more we shall have to spend for
| them, and that the speedier will be the up
| building Of those great economic and human
| interests whioaa they serve.