Arizona republican., 1922-04-27

Highway association and tn
association. For in this meeting the
story OF accomplishment in common
was told and the hope of common
achievement in the future was voiced
by representatives OF both sections
OF the country.
The story of Arizona was told by
Governor Thomas T.. Campbell. and
the story of New Jersey was detailed
by w. F. Whittemore, member of the
highway commission Of New Jersey.
John A. Crook OF Denver. one of the
most prominent engineers Of the
West. brought a message from his
own state. and two charming South
ern women, Mrs. b. Frank Mebane
and Mrs. Albert E.. Thornton. brought
a flavor OF the old South to smiling
gardens OF the Salt River valley.
Governor Campbell
The meeting, which was an un-
usually interesting one. was presided
over by o. A. Larrazoia, vice-presi-
dent t-large OF the Bankhead Ma
tional Highway association, VINO,
after a few opening remarks. intro
duced Governor Campbell. who spoke
as follows:
The subject Of roads is of national
interest and Importance. The state
ment could be made broader and IN
clude more territory, but as this
gathering is representative only OF
this nation, it need not be amplified.
Roads are the arteries of our ma
tional. state and community life. In
separately connected with and as a
part OF them are every form of in.
dividual and collective activity the
work and play Of a great people and
they spell progress The lack OF
them means retaldation Of every en-
deavor which makes for advance
lneat and prosperity. The wonderful
changes they have wrought within
the last generation dazzle the iHagiy
nation with 4 picture of future great
ness almost beyond mental ken. They
have obliterated distance. wiped out
isolation brought the East and the
West. the North and the South with
in speaking distance. They have
made accessible and available the
wonders of nature and given us OPP
portunity ito hold communion with
her visible forms and understand
her various language. They have
provided d broader understanding
and a keener insight into the prob
lens Of others and enabled us TO
enter into their lives, expanding ana
adding to our own ideas. the thoughts
and ideas OF others.
They have proven death blow to
ignorance, selfishness and proylTl-
cialisn1. and a great educational fac
tor in our university of national life.
They have wiped out sectional ana
geographical divisions; provided
market for the farmer, contact with
his neighbor. the advantages recrea-
tions and pleasures incident TO city
life: resulted in development OF many
OF our dormant resources, added
wealth to our tax rolls. They nave
been the great human equalizer. Tor
on the highways men meet on
common level. forgetting and lgnor-
ing caste distinction or position;
they are prose and poetry. the paths
of reality and romance; they creak
with the weight Of wealth drawn
over them: and sing with joy for
those on adventure and pleasure
bent: they join the oceans. bring the
snow capped peaks of the northland
10 a union with the Gulf or Mexico
in them are bound UP the hopes. the
prosperity and future of great
people. awakened at last to the ull-
iiimitable possibilities just ahead of
them.
Roads. strange as the statement
may sound today. are a matter OF
education. They come only after the
knowledge Of their economic neces-
sitv becomes widely disseminated
and assiInilated.
People Were lIIiterate
For many years the people OF Ari-
zona II T am permitted to use the
word, and without intent to offend,
were illiterate on this subject. They
were apparently content with trails
and what were designated, by cour-
tesy. as roads. In consequence our
development was spotted; that Is, IN
sections where steam transportation
was available. Otherwise, we We're
virtually at a halt. Knowing our
state was rich beyond compare in
undeveioped resources we we're forced
to, let them lie untouched, hoping
that the magic touch of capital would
do for us what we were not willing or
able to do for ourselves. But Capl-
tai seldom comes to the aid or res
cue of the non progressive conlnu
nifty. A dollar, 1t has been said, rs
the most tiInid thing. animate or IN
animate, in the world. 1t is also the
most conservative. and never chooses
a field, the products OF which has no
outlet to market. We We're therefore
in the unhappy situation of being
surrounded with wealth Of every kind
and character, but unable to convert
it to use and benefit. No man dis
puted the fact that our mountains
were treasure vaults or our valleys
with their rich productive acres the
potential land of plenty. In 1909 the
CRYING need of roads found official
expression through an act OF the leg
islature relating to the construction
maintenance. and improvement Of
territorial roads and creating the Of
flee of state engineer In the same
act provision was made for the levy
ing of a territorial road tax, not to
exceed five cents on each one hund-
red dollars of assessed valuation,
yielding less than 100000. This par
ticular law was the genesis of the
highway system OF Arizona. which is
the subject of my address today, as
assume that the men and women
gathered here from all parts Of the
nation. are interested in what AFizo-
ma, the baby state OF the union, is