The Topeka state journal., 1922-07-22
Rural Population of Kansas
Shows Big Decrease.
In Last Decade Farms Have
Lost $4,000 Persons.
AUTO OWNERS FIND SOLUTION
Present Program of Good Roads
and Better Schools.
Road OfficiaIs of Kansas VIII
Not Take a Vacation.

3 In the last twenty years the rural
Population in Kansas has decreased
approximately $1,000 and the urban
population has made a gain of owe"
$50, 900. In the last decade the farms
of Kansas have lost $4,000 persons
while the population of the cities in
creased 10000 This shows an alarm
ing loss In rural population and an
unusual growth of cities. proving the
statement that country boys and girls
leave the farm and go to the larger
cities.
The Kansas Automobile Owners as
sociatien is seeking to find a solution
Scr this situation which when solved
VIII mean not only good roads but
Improved social and educational ad-
rantages for the rural districts, bet
ter profits TO the farmers and more
business for The cities
A New Road Program.
The association has evolved a road
program consisting of a total of g.
bT6 miles OF iIcrd surface roads reach
ing within five miles of 81 per cent
Of the population of the entire state.
&5 per cent of the total valuation and
70 per cent of the entire area of
kansas. 1t is estimated that these
roads will carry 80 per cent of the
traffic in Kansas According to pres
ent plans these roads will become
state roads. constructed and main
tained by state and federal aids funds
at no expense to the taxpayer. The
expense will be equally shared by the
state and federal governments. 1t is
proposed to pay the states share of
the expense from receipts from au-
tomobile license fees.
Kansas is not going to take two
year vacation in road construction but
will put itself on record as not being
A mudhole state, association officials
say. The wealthy counties are con-
structing highways individually but it
is an imppssibility for the weaker ones
without the aid of the federal and
state governm Officials of the
automobile association forecast that
Kansas will ever have a connected
system of highways unless the weaker
ones are protected and roads are given
them by state and federal govern
ments.
Under the plan of the Kansas Auto
mobile Owners association it is pro-
posed to build the entire system of
state highways with the proceeds from
bond issue of $50, 100000. The bonds
by securing a constitutional provision
that automobile license fees could be
used for this purpose
Taxes To Be Decreased.
Under this plan taxes will be de-
creased rather than increased, asso-
citation officials say. Counties which
have already voted bonds and built
their portion CT the state highway sysE
tenn would have such amounts re-
funded to them out of their portion of
the state bond money. Counties that
have not yet done any work on their
portions of The system would have
these roads built for them by the
state.
Since all state roads must be main
tanned at state expense counties
would be relieved of the heavy main
tenence burden. Association officials
also believe that the state maintenance
alone will have the effect of reduced
taxation and viii enable every county
to use the released funds for other
roads within its borders in better
shape.