Arizona republican., 1921-09-10
Truck. and Road.

Colonel Ed Fletcher, one of the foremost good roads advocates in the country and president of the California Highway association in interview in the San Diego Union gives warning the menace of heavy trucks to the paved highways. He demands limitation of the capacity of trucks and a license tax more nearly commensurate with the damage they do to the roads.
 Colonel Fletcher resents the impudence of the Southern California Automobile club, whose chief engineer recently said in a public address: eIt Is one of the functions of the automobile dictate the type of highways to be built by the state" If 'that is so. says Colonel Fletcher another of the clubs functions should be the raising of funds to build the type of road 1t dictates.
 There is bill pending in the California legislature limiting the weight of trucks 22,o00 pounds That is opposed by the automobile club which demands no limit less than 2s.O00 pounds and opposes an increase of licenses for trucks based the weight of them
 The truck advocates are urging heavier con- struction, but the objection raised that either limit the mileage of the else it would bankrupt the state. It Is the theory of Colonel Fletcher that the roads should built within the resources of the state to build them, to not the truck-owners but the greatest number of people, and that the trucks should be made to con form to this arrangement
 Another thing touched upon by Colonel Fletcher is the fact that among the largest contributors to the taxes for roadbuding the railroads who are thus burdened with expense which invites ruinous competition. But with that contention the public will have greater sympathy when railroad rates been somewhat reduced.
 There two schools of thought with respect to paved roads and trucks-there those who like Colonel Fletcher believe that weight the trucks should be held down to the capacity of roads and those who believe the capacity of the roads should be built to the inevitable development the truck. The latter point the development of the railway track and railway equipment. Compared with present locomotives and of the former day were toys while have increased the track rail from 50 pounds to than twice that weight
 But we must mind that the railroads themselves have paid for the heavier track as well the heavier equipment while the truck owners will additional expense only heavier trucks
 And it questionable whether the railroads not overdone track and equipment whether they could not give better and cheaper service much lighter equipment and much more of it, requiring a much lighter track with less frequent repairs
 The latter is the opinion Henry Ford for whose views in railroading beginning to have a deeper respect We recall that Ford in his mteoric career of ten years has made a single mis- take-in dispatch of his peace ship-and we have suspected that expedition accomplished as much as he expected
 The truck and paved road problem Is not with us very serious yet, and perhaps will never become one which cannot be easily met. Our trucks not of excessive weight. The paved roads of this county, constructed as excelently they have been oB low level line. will sustain weight which