The daily times., 1921-10-11

and must not continue aiohS thiS
road.
Permit me to repeat or re-iterate
n bit: It will take vast amount OF
education to induce the people OF
North Carolina to spend the amount
of money necessary to be spent to-
build system Of state highways, such
as is contemplated and is necessary
Those of us who have been members
of the General Assembly in the past
have been told from time to time in
no uncertain tones that the people
demand this, that, or the other and
this is especially true as to road build
ing. 1t is undoubtedly true that the
naople of North Carolina want good
roads. The way to find out how much
! thew want good roads is to submit an
amendment to the constitution. au-
thorizing the levying of taxes to build
them. Not only this, but every man
and woman who is in favor of the
building of such system. sho"'d
make it his or her business to i'm
mediately go to work and explain the
problem. This should be done inteili-
gently, fairly, and without equi-
Vocation. The people should be
told what the cost will be. They have
the right to levy the tax upon them
selves or to decline to do so. l will
indulge in no prediction as to what
they will do when the matter is prop
erly presented to them, but l have not
the slightest hesitation in saying that
until this is done, we will be dealing
with this situation in a very uncer-
tain manner; that We will have to
approach it more or less timorously.
B! and we are liable to have all sorts OF
changes made in the means and meth
ods of raising the money and carry
ing on the work, which means no real
concerted and continuous action on
the part of the Highway Commission
"You doubtless have observed. il
lyou have listened, that 1 have dis
cussed many things, some germane to
my subject and some which doubtless
do not appear so but this subject is
Imany-sided; may be thought of and
talked of from many angles. l have
attempted consideration of only a
very few. For the most part. l have
endeavored to direct your attention
to the need of a change in our consti-
tuition. 1 make you no apologies. 1
lhave done SO because after some
Thought and consideration, 1 am con-
WINGED that this is the first step to a
correct solution of the problem Of
taxation as affecting state highways.
Until some change, radical it is true
is made, 1 do not see how we can or
will devise any system of state taxa
tion for state built highways. l am
, more convinced now than 1 was a
year ago or two years ago, that the
; state must build our highways, using
the word highways to convey diff
ferent meaning than is conveyed by
the word roads There is a vast dis
ttinction and difference between
Road and Highway, as vast as there
shall not enter into a discussion of
| this at this time.
THAT the problem confronting us
: will be solved, do not for moment
, doubt. I am sure that it will be.
am as certain as 1 am of any hope
that the time is coming when persons,
now living will see a state system,
state-built and state-maintained and
r state controlled. Highways connect
ing the Atlantic ocean with the Blue
Ridge mounains, over which our peo-
, pie will pass and re-pass, travelling
for the purpose of profit, business and
p pleasure, over which the products of
the mountains will be carried to the
sea and the products of the sea to
! the mountains. 1 expect the time to
r come when the members of the Gen
, eral Assembly from Guilford and
, Wilson counties will spend very near
, ly each night at home, journeying
backwards and forwards daily from
, their homes to the capital over state
, highways.
'At the same time, the roads as
D distinguished from highways, will be
, built and cared for and maintained
and controlled by the counties, max
, jAAAS UP a SOAAPlCIO SybIcm VI ways Oh
, travel and transportation, which is to
, the body polite, what the arteries and
iveins are to the natural body and over
which the blood of our state, it's pro-
, ducts and commerce will flow as cas-
lily and TRANQUILITY as does the blood
; of our bodies, for only and not until
. when, the products of our people may