The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1922-01-06

ton, which has SO much to say in
regard. to so-callsd trail organiza-
tions, and which so thoroughly
covers the subject that we are pub
fishing it herewith for the edifica-
ton Of those Of our readers who
wish general information in this re-
gard.
In granting the request Of the
Ohio State Automobile Association
to give this article publicity we are
doing it with theSidea of benenting
our readers and not to work q
hardship on trail organizations
whose past records we are con-
WINGED leave them nothing to fear
from the publication Of an article
of this nature.
Not all the trail organizations
are CRAFTS neither are the gratis
in the form Of trails. But there
have been large quantities of
money collected in the name of
some trail or other that might have
been put to much more effective
use.
The subject of good roads is so
dear and near to the heart of every
motorist that it is a simple matter
to collect funds by mentioning that
cause. In fact, the ease with
which most car owners, garage men
and others concerned in the auto
mobile industry pay good money to
further highway development, has
brought a horde Of grafters to prey
on the unwary 1t becomes the
duty of automobile clubs to warn
members and the associated inter-
ests development for illegitimate
personal gain.
Ordinarily the hotel proprietor is
pretty smart individual. Years
of experience with the check cash.
ers, bill jumpers and others who
live by their wits have him wary
and shrewd, and yet many hotel
grafters and sometimes it seems
that the bolder the graft the surer
the innkeeper is to tumble. Hotels
are naturally in favor of increasing
and developing motor travel. The
avidity of some hotel men to share
in the inundation of touring is
rivalled only by their ignorance Of
the basic facts regarding it's origin
and trends. Show some hotel men
map with lines drawn across it
to signify highways and they will
give you carte blanche on the safe.
But around the corner there may
exist neglected, so far as they are
concerned, an automobile club that
has done more in one month to
promote motor travel to that mans
town than all the trails that were
ever imagined may do in an eter-
nifty.
A promoter will gather about
him the board of trade, hotel, gar
age and confectionery interests of
some small town far removed from
the beaten path. It is simple
matter to convince them they ought
to divert the stream of motor travel
to their community. So they es-
tablish a trail leading thither. This
trail is started over some well es-
tablished route asgd then branches
town in question and theyscall it
the Fandango trail, or name it after
some gallant and now defenseless
general, and publish a map showing
fine, red line heading straight for
their town. Whether any motorist
ever follows the trail, or whether
anybody in spite of mud and de-
tours, ever reaches the town to
curse it, is of small moment to the
promoting CRATER.
In other cases, the trails course
is more plastic. Whether the map
shows the Dufunny highway lead
ing to your town depends merely
on how much you are willing to
pay the highway promoters for the
privilege of having the line run
through your town.
And business firms and business
men go on falling for these rros-
titutes of the good roads cause,
which if they ever do anything at
all merely trade ron the accomplish
ments of those organizations and
those forces which, working over
a period of years, have builded in
the country and in the state a real
good roads sentiment that is today
providing real results in the i'm
provement of highways and the in
crease in their use.
1t is time for the organization
that year in and year out have
nurtured, cultivated and realized
the development of highways, to
to offer protection against them
Sparks from Motor Life.