Imperial Valley press., 1922-05-04

WAolilNuION, Aprll 2j.--COngfeSS
must continue to promote an adequate
program of highway construction and
maintenance, the Joint Congressional
commission on agricultural inquiry soon
will report to congress, it's chairman,
Rep. Sydney Anderson, Minnesota, said
today.
The commission believes that the mot
or vehicle has come to be an indispens
ible Charming implement,' and that
good roads, built so as to aid the farmer
in getting his products to the best
markets, are essential to the agricultural
life of the nation.
Correlation of the highways with
rail and water transportation and n uni
form basis for taxing motor vehicles
also will be urged by the commission in
its report.
''The commission Anderson said,
sis strongly Of the opinion that the
program of highway construction and
maintenance by states and counties be
continued under the direction of quail
fled experts, with particular reference
to the construction and maintenance of
farm-tO-market roads; that adequate
funds should be appropriated for re-
| search and regulation Of traffic based
| upon the facts so ascertained.
Uniform State Laws
"Also that the several state cooper
ate in effecting a uniform basis for tax
ing motor trucks and other motor vehi-
cles, which shall fairly represent the
production of expense of highway con
| struction and maintenance chargeable
to such vehicles.'
Previous to its appearance, the eco
n0mic zone of transportation was sharp
1y defined by the haulage range of the
horse and the cost of such transpOrta
tion. 1t will be shown in the report that
in 1918 the estimated cost of hauling in
wagons from farms to shipping point
averaged about 80 cents per ton mile
for wheat, 33 cents for corn and 48
cents for cotton. Hauling in motor
truck or by tractors the averages are
Is cents for wheat and corn and 1S
cents for cotton.
''It thus appears,'' said the chairman,
"that the major result accomplished by
this new form of transportation has
been to extend and broaden the markets
of the farmer. Single reactions are to
be found in the fact that the use of the
motor vehicle has brought the farmer
closer to the city and also has increased
the dcsirability and comfort of farm
life.
"Figures in the report will show that
while the motor vehicle traffic has in
creased more than 900 per cent in the
| period 1910 to 1921, the actual expendi-
lures for highway construction and
maintenance, taking into consideration
the increase in cost of materials and
labor during the war and the readjust-
ment period, was only slightly over 200
per cent.
The Farmers Benefit
"Another effect of improved high
ways, is to enable the farmer to hold
his products on the farm for q longer
time. Where highways are unimproved
the farmer must move his produce when
the roads are good, which is generally
at the season when the prices are lowest.
"The commission believes there
should be regulation of the use of the
highways, especially with respect to
overloading and maximum loading to be
based upon the facts so developed.
| cit is already clear, that there is q
wide variation in principle and applica-
tion of the various state and local reg
ulations affecting intrastate motor traf-
fic. Studies of local motor transporta-
tion should be expanded as rapidly as
possible so that lack of uniformity in
state and federal legislation in the flu
ture may as far as possible be avoided. -
Electric street railways, the Joint
commission has found, have suffered to
some extent from the encroachment of
the automobile nupon their revenues.
"'Ths competition the chairman said,
(Which is the first competitive activity
to be felt by the street railway, has not
seriously affected the revenues except
in individual cases, and will not be
| fatal to their successful operation where
these competing forms of transportation
are subject to regulation and control by
the proper regulatory bodies
The Parcel Post
Regarding the parcel post, the joint
commission will recommend to congress
That a study be made to determine
what branches of the postal service are
self sustaining with the view of making
the department after due credit for
operations performed for the general
government selfsupporting, or more
nearly in accordance with the costs
This should be done by proper readjust-
ment of charges and removal of pres
ent rate Inconsistencies. The purpose OF
holding the postal service responsive to
the needs of the agricultural community
should be constantly kept in view.
| "The commission believes,' said the
! chairman, "that increased postage rate
on secondclass mail matter, notwith
| standing reductions of fturth-class mat