The vidette. (Iuka, Tishomingo County, Miss.) 1912-1967, 1922-08-24
From the State Highway De
partment. Jackson, Miss.

tional Highways which traverse thi
State is progressing rapidly. it ha
been announced by the State High
way Department. These highways
Mississippi Valley Highway, tn
Jackson Highway and the Old Span
ish trail, connect Mississippi by di
rect route with the entire Mississip
pi Valley and the Middle Western
States. and the southern section Q
The United States, from the Atlanti
to the Pacific Coast. These high
ways are Of the utmost importanc
to the prosperity of the State, sine,
they provide arteries through whicl
traffic can flow in and out of tn
State to all sections of the country
Ii one link of one of these grea
highways is allowed to be worl
by traffic and the clements, until
I
is passable only in the best weather
it will defeat the entire object O
the highway. for "a chain is M
stonger than its weakest link
Yet, there is danger that this ma,
| become the condition of the Missis
sippi links. Unless the proposet
constitutional amendment, givin,
the State control over State High
way System, is adopted by the peo
pie at the November election, these
highways will not be maintained il
the condition of construction, will
improvement shown from year te
year.
Under the present constitution
the boards of supervisors have full
jurisdiction over roads, ferries, and
bridges in their respective counties.
The amendment would change this
slightly, giving the State control
over State Highway System. which
would not exceed seven per cent oil
the total mileage, and relieving the
counties of the burden of maintain
ing the said trunk highways. Un-
der the present haphazard system
of maintenance, the counties are re-
sponsible for the condition of the
roads within their respective limits,
and the through highways are not
considered as a whole, but in small
sections, in some places only few
miles. Often time, difficulties, finan-
cial and otherwise, cause these
roads to be neglected for period
of time sufficiently long to allow
roads to wear down to such de-
gree, that the expense of repairs
would actually construct new
road. Under the amended law,
these highways would be part of a
State Highway System, connecting
every county seat and center of poI .
ulation in the State, and this sys-
tenn should be maintained in the
best condition possible during the
entire year. In this way, the most
important trunk highway in the
State would receive the attention
of trained and experienced engi.
neers, who would be in position to
watch the road closely, and to act
Immediately in case Of need OF re,
pairs. This would relieve the coun.
ties OF the expense OF maintaining
these trunk highways, and ALLOW
| them to devote their attention Il
roads OF lesser Importance, whicl
are at present neglected. 1t is pro
posed to place the expense of main
tanning these trunk highways upol
the automobile owners, since the
are the ones who will be benefited
Tnis doss not mean only Mississir
lpi automobile owners, but tn
thousands of tourists who pass owe
the highways constantly, will pay
large part in the form Of gasolin
and automobile tax. This tax wi
be more than repaid however, b
the money saved from tires, case
line, and general wear and tear 0
the car.
This system is at present unde
obstruction, and its completio
depends upon the continuation
Federal Aid allotments, by mean
of which large part of it is bein
constructed. Unless the amendmer
is adopted, these allotments wi
cease, since the Federal Highwa
Act OF 1921 requires that With
three years otter the passage of th
Act, all of the States thall give tt
Highway Department control ov,
a State Highway System, upo
] which Federal funds may be E,
pended. This is required by II