Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-10-22

Dy Montana may De ADle 10 Udlcu up
the federal funds which will be avail
f, able in 1923 and 1924 and 1925 for
the construction of scientific thorough
! fares in this state. Under the present
statute, this money is available on the
basis of 50 per cent paid by the fed.
eral government and AZ per cent or
funds matched up over against the
federal government money.
This matching up has previously
been done by county bond issues. Ihere
will hardly be any important county
bond issues during the next year or
I two. Therefore, some other way must
be devised.
The principal speech over at the
Missoula good roads meeting was
made by W. B. Dennis, dean of the
Oregon road system. 1t brings out
so many facts which are of great IN
.erest to all of the people of Mon
sana at this time that it seems worth
while 10 publish a part of the address
IN the columns of The Tribune.
Following is the text of a large part
Of the address given by Mr.. Dennis:
1T has been estimated by the INIT
ed States bureau of public roads that
from 1910 to 1921 inclusive, the people
of the United States invested IN mo-
tor vehicles. $500, 900 600, and IN
road construction S2,526, 100000 or a
total of S1O,S4S,OOO,00 coo, a verysub.
"stantial part of the total wealth or
the United States. In the year 1871
there was expended in the United
States for road construction by the
federal government, states n count
les. a total 5000, 000. 900 according to
figures furnished by the United States
bureau of public roads.
Good Roads Not Federal Idea
II have brought 10 your attention
these figures showing the enormous
proportions and phenomenal growth
of this gigantic industry. not with any
expectation that you would remember
any of them, but on the contrary
wholly for the purpose, and with the
hope, of framing a picture, a photo.
graph if you please, OF real 1acts Oh
actual existance that might impress
yortn minds with the thought thaI
this motor vehicle highway construc-
tion movement in the United States
10 NOT the creation of a few fanatics
and wild dreamers and tax eating,
lob seeking ants, but that 1t is a vast
evolution of the economic forces OF
American social and commercial life.
Whether YOU or ] approve it or
0lSdDHTONt II D
born fact. No man, or set or men
started it with intent or design, n
no man or set of men can stop 1t.
1.-THE motor vehicle is an
of the destiny of man to conquer the
earth. 1t has awakened in human ma
ture tho inherent desire to move on,
and nothing can stop it until the ENDS
of the earth have been reached. -.
standing today at the gateways OF
our nation are more than
registered motor vehicles, capable Oh
carrying at a single moment or move
ment more thar 50,O00,0O0 people, one
half of the entire population OF inc
United States. There is nothing IN all
history, nor in the widest dreams OF
the worlds students of transportation
that can compare with IT. visualize
in your minds. if you can. the picture
of one-half of the entire population OF
the United States moving on Wheels
at the same moment, and think What
this means in the mobilization power
of the nation. 1t is not extravagant to
saw that it is within the range of pos
sibility that at least one-thlrd or the
population of the United States east OF
the Rocky mountains could be planted
IN the Pacific coast inside of 10 days
or two weeks, providing highways SUI
ficient to carry the traffic were pro-
vided. The rolling stock for such a
movement is available.
Cannot Sidestep Road Problem
But admitting all of these things and
conceding that the growth of the motor
industry with it's demand for roads has
swept upon the country with the over
whelming power of a gigantic flood
what is the practical conclusion OF the
whole matter for you and me out here
in Montana and in Oregon and in the
other states on this fair Pacific coast
rs it not this. that the movement
is one Of such tremendous economic
forces and power that, no matter what
our individual opinions of it's wisdom
or wholesomeness may be, being IN the
path of the flood. we can neither defy
nor sidestep it, and that any attempt
to do so would be fatal to the progress
of our beloved states. We did not in
dividually choose our own time of being
here upon this earth. nor did we vol
unfairly create the economic conditions
under which we are living. but we are
here. and the economic conditions ]
spoke of are here. There is no escape,
The problem is ours. We must meet
it with clear heads and sober-minded
thinking.
.SThe 1O.OOO.OO motor vehicles regis
tereQ IN me IDlIeu SldleS are uulls
of transportation This brings me to
the second point which | greatly de
sire to impress upon your minds. A
deep study of this subject must lead
you to the conclusion that the motor
vehicle, with its road problem. is merely
and wholly a problem of transportation,
as much so from every point of view as
the railroad; and that on account of
its greater ~flexibility and closer adapt
alton to the needs of society and com
merce is destined to handle a volume of
transportation of far greater magni-
tude than it will ever be physically or
economically possible for the railroads
to handle.
THE motor vehicle will never dis
place the railroad and rever should do
so. but the railroad executives who
fail to recognize the motor vehicle as
a transportation factor to be dealt with
and to be met by adaptation and CO.
ordination wiz ave ultimately to learn
the lesson a-.1eavy cost.
The motor vehicle is transport
ton brought TO every mans front
door. and any state which fails to
grasp the TREMENDOUS significance OF
that fact and to seize the opportunity
which it presents. will fall behind in
the race of modern progress. The
motor vehicle highway is the one
bright Snof of hone for relief from