The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1922-08-29
IN FURTHER CONSIDERATION

The highway situation in Florida would be amusing
were plenty of individuals and few newspapers bitterly
opposed 10 this so-cacd hobby of building paved roads
for outsiders 10 ride over In those days the opposition
was appealed to on behalf of the farmer and fruit grow
es the plea being that unless paved highways were pro-
ved the products of grove and dairy could not be prop
ey marketed and that thousands of of rich land
would never be cultivated unless the settler had the adj
vantage Of good roads that he would not be isolated
and that his children might be enabled to get to school.
These arguments were valid and sound and quite IN line
with the facts of the situation bat recognition was not at
that time given the probability of this business OF high
way construction becoming national project 1t was
we'll that good sense prevailed in many sections OF For-
ida and Of other States, resulting in fair start toward
the onged-or goal. Here in Florida there were county
undertakings all purely local in their nature and without
regard to what other counties dong or might have
in mind In other words there general plan OF
coordination a situation which broug ht about demand
for general system of State highways. 1t will be re-
membered that an effort was made the passage
Of an amendment to the constitution which would have
enabled the State Of Florida to issue bonds for reason
petion of highways connecting all the principal sections OF
this great State Opposition developed from two sources
The first was from the railroad interests who controlled
newspapers and individuals TO such extent that strong
preiudices were aroused The other from those
counties who had invested heavily in paved highways on
their own account and were not particularly concerned
about what happened the ether fellow. This opposl-
ten was sufficiently strong to throttle the State system
plan so there nothing to do but fall back on ndl-
vdua effort The effect of this has been and is plainly
apparent It has resulted in sort of hand miss pro-
gram principally miss, with the Stale road department
doing its level best with the limited amount of money
on hand and obtainable It meant years of delay and
enormous financial loss through rearding the coming of
autoists to the State who would have been glad to cast
their lot in country blessed with such Flor
ida boasts Of had net been for the absence of any gen.
eral system of ghways 1t has been the policy of piece
meal construction that has created much friction and
brought about the meeting of protest in ST. Augustine
on Monday. One cannot help but 4nile and enjoy the
picture of those who were loudes in their opposition to
general State bond issue, now berating the highway
board for attempting give Florida sort Of system
of roads.
A Miami dispatch say - the State legislature at its
next session commencing "a >ri of 1923 will be asked
to increase the tax on gasolo from to two cents
gallon and to call another Statewide election to bond for
$4,000, 900 for good roads Possibly Florioans have
learned something during recent months and perhaps this
time both these projects will receive greater support than
heretofore 1t will be interesting to watch the reaction
that is sure to come with this announcement. Should
such program be adopted there would be occasion
for any more ST. Augustine meetings. State road No.
might also be completed.