The Washington herald., 1920-12-12
Have Own Field in Which
To Demonstrate Most
Efficiency
Railroads Not Injured by Traffic;
Trucks Best in Short Hall.

and expensive facilities which dis
courage the daily shipment of per-
ishable freight.
"In passenger carriage for public
service the motor vehicle encoun-
ters the active opposition Of electric
railways. The outcome Is not yet
apparent. for the proper division of
the field can come about only
through free competition, and this
unfortunately is not the situation
where franchises are granted and
rates fixed. The trolley car and tho
omnibus have distinctive qualities.
however, which recommend each
for particular types of service. The
extent of the use of omnibuses in
the United States is indicated by the
fact that more than 5000 are regis
tered in New York City alone
Farmers Largest Users.
Farmers are now the largest
users of trucks in this country as
as they own 10 per cent more than
manufacturers and Is per cent
more than retailers. The Depart
ment of Agriculture reported that
more than $4,000 farmers were
using approximately $4,000 motor
trucks in 1919. The stockyards OF
st. Joseph, Sioux City, Indianapolis
and Omaha report enormously in
creases in receipts of livestock by
truck. In all, $4,000 head of live
stock. or "a per cent of all livestock
received. were delivered there by
motor truck In 1919"
Tn development of the industry
to its maximum efficiency, the bank
declares, depends upon prompt So
luton of two problems which now
confront it. These are the questions
of fuel supply and the provision of
proper highways
THE production of motor fuel
has not kept pace with it's consump-
tion." the bank says. Between 1909
and 1918 the number of motor vehi-
cles in use in the United States in
creased about 100 per cent, while
the domestic production of gasoline
increased but $50 per cent, and that
of crude oil, the source, but 95 per
cent. Motor transportation finds no
threat Of extinction in the fuel situ-
alton, but only the necessity Of
modification
should Pay for Highways.
Highway construction and main
tenance have always been a problem,
which has now become so pressing
as to cause alarm Under the pres
ent system of road financing 1t is
impossible to build all roads of a
type which can bear heavy truck
traffic. A good concrete road costs
from $4,000 to $4,000 a mile to
build, which is more than most COM
munities can afford. The cost of
providing highways for motor trucks
is properly a part of their operating
expenses, but at present the con-
sumer of truck ck-transported Sgoods
shifts his share of this burden to the
community. The truck has enjoyed
an unfair advantage over other
methods of transportation while thus
subsidized by the taxpayers, al
though subsidy during the period of
development is quite in line with the
history of other established means
of transportation. The time is now
approaching. however. when motor
transportation must stand upon its
merits.
Trucks should be taxed in pro-
portion to their destructive effort ON
roads, or rather in proportion to the
cost to the community of providing
roads for their use. Such restric-
tions would work for the benefit of
motor transportation and are the
only means by which the good roads
which are vital to its future devel-
opment can be secured"