South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-04-30
APPEALS FOR AID
TO BOOST BETTER
ROADS MOVEMENT
Chairman of Joint Commits
sion on Agricultural In
quiry Outlines Plan.


wAsHTNGTON. April 2s.-Con-
gress raus- continue to- promote an
adequate program Of highway con
struction and maintenance. the joint
congressioraI Commission on Agri-
cultural Inquiry soon viii report 10
congress. Gts chairman Rep. sgd
new Anderson MINI. said today.
The commission believes that the
motor vehicle has come 20 De an IN
di-pensible farming implement"
and tf1at good roads. built so as 20
aid the farmer iu getting his pro-
ducts to thc best markets are es-
Genital 90 The agricultural life Of the
nation.
Correlation of the highways with
rail- and water transportation and
uniform basis for taxing motor We
njcIes Also will be urged by the
commission in IS report.
'.The commission" Anderson said,
"is strongly OF the opinion that the
program OF highway construction
and maintenance by states and
counties be- continued under the d.
rection OF qualified experts. with
particular reference 20 the COnstruc-
ton and maintenance OF farm-to-
market roads. that adequate funds
should be appropriated for research
and regulation OF traffic based upon
the facts so ascertaincd.
Uniform State Laws.
"Al-o that the several states CO.
operate u cnccaug a uniform basis
Tor taxing motor trucks and other
motor vehicles. which shall fairly
represent the proportion or expense
y highway construction and main
tonance chargeable 20 such We
hicles"
Previous TO It's appearance, the
economic zone OF transportation was
sharply defined by the haulage
range or the horse and the cost OF
such ansEortation. It viii be shown
In the report that in 1913 The esti-
mated cost OF hauling IN wagons
from farms 90 shipping point aver
aged about soc per ton mile for
wheat. 33c for corn and 4Sc for cot
ton. Hauling I'm motor truck or by
tractors the averages are l5c Tor
wheat and corn and 1sc for cotton.
1T thus appears" said the chair
man. that the major result accom-
plished by this new form OF trans
portation 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 20 the city and also has In
creased the desirability and comfort
or farm life.
Figures IN the report will show
that while the motor vehicle traffic
has increased more than 1900 per
\ cent In the period 1910 10 1921, the
FeRctuaI expenditures for highway
Aonstruction and maintenance, TAX
ing into consideration. the Increase
in cost OF materials and labor dur
lng the war and the readjustment
period. wss only slightly over 200
percent.
Tho Farmers Benefit.
Another effect OF improved high
ways. IL 70 enable the farmer TO hold
his products on the farm for a long
~ eins. Where highways are unim-
proved the farmer must move his
produce when the roads are good,
which q generally at the season
when the prices are lowest
THE commission believes there
should be regulation OF the use OF
The highways especially with re-
spect to overlooking and maximum
loading 20 be based upon the facts
so developed
1T n already clear. that there is
wide variation I'm principle and
| application OF the various state and
i local regulations affecting intrastate
2motor traffic. Studies OF local motor
transportation should be EXPANDED
rapidly as possible so that lack OF
Uniformity In state and federal leg
slation I'm the future may as far as
osslble be avoided"
Electric street railways the Joint
Ommisslon has found have suffer
TO some extent from the en-
roaChmeut of the automobile upon
heir revenues This competition"
he chairman said which IS the
s; rst competitive activity 20 be felt
the street railway. has not ser
usly affected the revenues except
Individual cases. and viii not be
htal 20 their successful operation
here these competing forms Of
transportation are subject 20 regula-
OF anu loNllol N4 tine proper reg
~ atory bodies
Regardiug the parcel rost the
int commission viii recommend 10
ngress-
That a study be made TO deter
me what branches or the Postal
ervice are self-sustaining with the
~ ew or making the department aft
due credit for operations per-
& formed for the general government
Pelf- supporting or more nearly IN
accordance with the costs This
should be done by proper readjust-
ment OF charges and removal OF
present rate Inconsistencies. The
4 purpose ~ holding the postal serv-
8 Zee responsive 90 the needs of the
agricultural community should be
constantly kept in view
The commission believes" said
the chairman THAT increased post
age rate on second class mail mat
ter. notwithstanding reductions OF
fourth -ciass matter. has been par
Iii i6