The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-13
PEOPLES FORUM
Good Roads-a Pre-Requisite

To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
 1 note that a good deal is being said and being written in the pub lie press about advertising the re- sources of Alabama. The object, that of stimulating business and encouraging the establishment of new industries. is indeed worthy one, but I am of the opinion that most of the work will be in vain until Alabama wakes up and gives more attention to her roads. I have travelled over q good many states of the Union, and I hon estly believe that Alabama has the worst roads of any state l have ever travelled in. No state is better than it's roads. Show me state that has poor roads, like Alabama, and without any further investigation. l know that it is far behind the states that take pride in their good roads. The majority of the states have awakened to the great importance of having good roads and are profiting thereby. Good roads mean a contented people. A con- tented people are a loyal, boost ing people.
 It is really painful to travel over some of Alabama's roads. Even the highways are in bad condi- tion in many places. They in variably get much worse near the small towns one passes through. One can always tell when one is nearing a town or small city by in especially if travelling on one of the main highways. A few days ago I made trip from Ashland to Talladega via Goodwater and Sylacauea. The road is fine, with the exception of about two miles, from Ashland until the outskirts of Goodwater is reached, then 1t becomes bad, almost impossible through Goodwater and beyond for a short distance. The road from Goodwater to Sylacauga, with the exception of a mile or so, is good until near Sylacauga, where it gets very rough. The same can be said of the road from Sylacauga to Talladega. Why should the worst parts of the roads be in the close vicinity of the towns?
 Good schools, good churches and good roads are a states best as- sets and make the strongest apI. peal to the prospective citizen. Alabama is woefully lacking in good roads and will, l fear, not progress as she should until proper attention is given them.
 
 state in good condition, then launch an advertising campaign that will prove effective. Until the roads are put in good condi- tion, it is worse than useless and waste of funds to prosecute an advertising campaign, as people will not stay in the state after they get here when they attempt to travel over some of our roads.
 Are the appropriations for road building and road improvement being properly expended to the best. advantage? Are they ade- quate to defray the expense of putting our roads in good condi- tion? If insufficient for the pur- pose, something should be done about increasing them. Something must be done. or Alabama is go- ing to slump far behind other states that are giving good deal of attention to their road problems. Tourists say that they can tell when they reach Alabama by the bad roads and add that they will surely be glad when they get out of the state. All loyal Alabamians dislike to hear such remarks but can't deny that our roads are very bad and that the tourists are justified in com plaining. Every tourist is pros- pective future citizen and the inn precision he gets should be a fa- vorable one.
 Let's all pull and work together for better roads for Alabama roads that we can get over when we start anywherel
 R. P. TROTTER, D. C.. M. c.
 Talladega. Ala, June II, 1923.