Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-08-18
PHILLIPS Says ROADS
ARE BIGGEST PROBLEM
way Departments Overhead Cost
Is z Per Cent.
AGAINST pIECEMEAL WORK
Believes Roads Should BE Started
From Somewhere and Completed.
Improved Highways Important
for Business.

In the opinion Of II. y. Phillips.
president Of the Broadway National
Bank. of Richmond. and chairman Of
the Third District Roads Committee
of the Virginia Bankers Association,
the State Highway Department Of
Virginia Ia operating at an overhead
cost of per cent OF the money cx-
pended, and this he believes to be n
very reasonable cost. MIR. Phillips
I'm an address before the Virginia
Good Roads Association In Roanoke
disproved the Departments plan OF
building stretch Of road here and
stretch there throughout the state
He said he believed a road should be
built from somewhere to a given
point. His address follows:
especially appreciate the oppor-
tunity OF appearing before you today,
for this is by far the largest. most
representative and able body OF men
that have yet seen gathered In
Virginia to consider the matter OF
good roads. And l congratulate you.
Mr.. President, upon the wonderful
enthusiasm you have aroused In the
people Of Virginia upon this subject
But In coming before this body
feel very much like the preacher ut
a Methodist revival who finds the
amen corners filled with the elect
brethren and no sinners In the crowd
10 be prayed for. The very fact that
you are here is evidence enough
that you are interested In goods roads
and already informed as to our needs
II we could just get these meetings
out among the backwoodsmen we
might be able to tell them a few
things, for strange as il may seem.
those people in the remote and un-
developed districts who should he
most benifited by good roads are
the least interested. the least in
formed and the greatest directors.
but their vote counts just as much
on election day as that of the Gov
crnor of the State or the Judge OF
your court. therefore earnestly
hope. Mr.. President. You may be pro-
rided with the ways and means for
carrying your moving picture ma
chine and other Informative propa-
Eanda into every corner OF the state
ana nrousing people TO their needs
and show them the way TO obtain
them.
But you have asked me TO direct
my remarks particularly to. the
thought of Good Roads in Relation
to business" If this is not a business
proposition we are wasting our time
here today. But it Is business prop
osition, strictly business and worthy
of the most careful thought OF the
best minds In our State. and have
no doubt you are giving il that con-
sidcration.
ROnd Problem liz biggest
The problem OF goods roads is one
of our biggest and probably calls for
n ha,
any other one thing. our public
schools excepted. 1t takes millions.
and we are going TO spend millions
Therefore, 1t should be strictly busi-
ness right from the top, the office OF
the highway commission. That office
should be conducted in the most bust
ncSs-likc ana economical manner. we
presume II Is. Unnecessary salaries
and expenses should be topped off
there where the pubiics funds are.
being spent as quickly as II il were
private enterprise. Overhead ex-
pcnditure is necessarily large Many
think II much larger than II !s Be-
licNing these expenses excessive and
having only Il vague indefinite knowl-
edge OF what they are for many are
critical some very critical Care
should he taken to give to the people
statement ~ the rcaSonablcncss OF
those expenses il they are reasonable,
and thereby remove one large oh
s'acle to creating sentiment among
the masses in favor of the good roads
program. If there is extravaganza or
nnwisc and preferential use OF funds
the public who put up these funds
have right to know that, and this
association which Is. or should be,
the mouthplcce OF the people and
not the servant of the commission.
should bring such matters plainly to
the attention of those responsible
for them. and with full force OF it's
large membership and public senti-
ment behind it. bring about n cor
Icction.
While ! have not been able to get
Just the information in the way OF
figures that ! wished to bring YOU.
] submit the following for your con-
sidcration: asked for information
rs TO the source OF our good roads
funds and for some details as to the
expenditure OF the same. AS 10 the
sources ] find that we received from
auto taxes and licenses sl,750.O0O.