Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-02-17
Editors Letter Box
Trucks and the Bond Issue
The kennebec Journal:

The kennebec Journal:
With the present high taxes and
low prices for farm products, we
must look closely at our expendi-
tues and large bond issue for
roads and bridges must show a rea-
scnable need and probability OF
receiving full value in return.
Whether the State shall issue
bonds or raise funds in some other
way. for our roads. the money
should be expended that the people
have full and equal benefit in their
use, and with no special appropria-
ton for any class or business which
takes toll from the public, without
just recompense for that privilege.
Primarily, roads were made to ac-
commodate travel from place to
place. and for hauling goods and
produce to and from market where
there was no rail Connection, while
now trucks and cabs are used on
ali roads, competing with rail trans
portation and carrying loads that are
destructive to our highways.
Their use is increasing very rap
idly and some way must be devised
to adjust the added outlay required
for our roads on their account: their
use to certain extent is necessary.
bur they must be used in a way that
will do the least harm to our high
ways and the people using them. and
also be of the greatest benefit to the
State.
The policy OF furnishing improved
reads without adequate compensa-
ton is working to crowd our roads
with trucks and heavy conveyances,
even the railroads are forsaking
their rails in some cases and using
roads built by the State, and event.
ually this will result in driving off
much of the light travel and impair
their usefulness.
We are building heavier highways
than would he required. and rebuild
in" roads that would have been
serviceablc for longer periods. but
fer them; we are throwing away
bridges and building new and costly
ones to accommodate the heavily
loaded trucks and withstand their
heavy pounding and we cannot af-
ford TO do this without reasonable
pay for the service.
The business of trucking is ap-
parently as lucrative as those who
have to pay a fair sum for their
the truck and cab pay fair rental
their road privileges.
Established facilities for transport
tation are suffering from unfair
competition which should be check
ed. The State does not wish to fos-
ter such competition with rail trans
portation. for it realizes that from
loss of patronage the railroads must
raise the freights and fares and must
also reduce their accommodations to
the public in the number of trains
run, as we'll as pay less tax to the
State.
Trucks already have advantage
over the railroads of taking goods
from point of shipment and deliver
ing at destination without extra cost
for reloading or truckage to and
from r. r. station; this is a large
factor of saving on short hauls and
the trucks should not have the added
advantage of less cost for their pro-
portion of the road equipment.
The Massachusetts Legislative
Committee, after six months investi-
cation, has recommended a tax on
trucks net weight, SOC per cwt. up to
-FOUR tons. 15c over four tons, but
TINS would be manifestly unfair to
truck owners who use them only oc-
casionally In their private business,
as against the trucks which are
Kept for public use or hire and those
concerns which make 1t their BUSH
ness to move and distribute their
goods through the country, with dis
frlluting stations. This would be a
discrimination in favor of the trucks
which DO The most work and the
roadway would. in thA case, suffer
from the constant impact of those
trucks which were more constantly
in use. without receiving more for
such service than from trucks with
fal less mileage.
n much fairer and more satisfac-
tory way would be to retain the
present license on all vehicles and
make an additional charge for mile
age graded according to the size and
the loads carried, with certain times
and places for inspection. by officers
o. each town where truck is owned,
ana subject to oversight by the
highway police.
This would divide the eSpense
equally according TO the service Of