Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-08-05
Frank Page, of North Caro-
lima, and Mrs, R, |, Berner,
of Maconr Are Principal
Speakers

Featured by addresses by Frank
Page, chairman of the North Caro-
lima highway commission, and by
Mrs. Robert L. Berner, of Macon,
and other boosters for the proposed
$75,000,000 highway bond issue pro-
posed for Georgia, one of the most
enthusiastic and successful Cood
roads rallies in the history of the
state was held Wednesday evening
in the chamber of commerce.
A large percentage of the mem
bers of the general assembly of
Georgia attended the rally, heard
how North Carolina profited by a
similar bond issue, and how $4,000
women voters in the state are
squarely behind the movement to
finance the state good roads pro-
gram.
Your highway program is the
greatest single undertaking your
missioner Page. North Carolina,
after passing and administering a
$50,000,000 bond issue exactly SINH
lar to the $75 100000 issue proposed
for Georgia. can say to Georgia that
the financing of a statewide system
of highways is the most vitality inn
portant work that this state or any
state can carry out,
IF you ever expect to have n
statewide highway System-a coun-
ty system has proven itself practi-
cally worthless-Georgia as a. state
must do it. The only way to get it
done is to get the money, get a good
business man to do it, and to hold
that man everlastingly responsible
for the job"
Mrs. Berner, in giving her mes
sage from the $4,000 organized wom-
en- of the state, addressed directly
the members of the legislature pres
ent.
Il come before you, gentlemen of
the general assembly, and beg you
to enact legislation that will pro
vide good roads for our state" she
said. II won't demand it at this time,
but unless this appeal is needed, I
will demand it, as will $4,000 other
women of the state who now have
the right to express themselves at
the polls"
Mrs. Berner was seconded by Mrs.
R. K. Rambo, Of Atlanta, and Mrs.
Orrin Massey, of Macon, both of
whom spoke briefly in support Of her
plea.
w. Tom VIM, president of the
Georgia Good Roads association, pre-
sided. John N. Holder, former speak
er of the house and chairman of
the state highway department, in
troduoed Mr.. Page, saying that
North Carolina was now the pride
Of the south in highway building.
After you get the money for your
roads, which you certainly will, and
after you get good man to super
wise the building Of the roads, give
your road builders free rein and
watch the results.
Must Build Roads
Il have heard the statement that
Georgia is now too poor to build a
state system because Of the boil wee,
vii. l say you are too poor not to
build your roads; that you are sc
poor that you are bound to do it.
That argument was put forth in
North Carolina. 1t collapsed after
we found out that bad roads had cost
us ten times more than the support
of the bond issue cost us. The North
Carolina legislature this year is plan,
ming to increase the issue by fifteen
or twenty million to extend the
Program
1--WE know that we paid road
tax on poor roads that was ten
times higher than the tax we now
pay for a state highway system. We
know that our good roads are bet.
ter builders of Christian citizenship
than any single institution in North
Carolina.
1.-THE present economic situation
makes it particularly desirable tc
build highways right now. Labor
and materials are plentiful and in
expensive. The contractors are ready
to so. Georgia should take advan
tage Of this. Eventually Georgia is
going to have a state highway sys
tenn. Why not now?
Mr.. Page made a similar address
Wednesday afternoon before a called
meeting of the County Commission
.ers' Association of Georgia. who later
passed a resolution calling upon the
general assembly to approve a bond
issue to finance a state highway
program.
The resolution follows:
BE it resolved that we, the Coun
- commissioners AsGocisst04 81