Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1926-04-29

A&fSS are some OF tue Hlsu pUiut-
presented by Thomas II. Macdonald,
Chief Of the Bureau of Public Roads.
Department of Agriculture, in an in.
terviaw on highway development.
The equipment OF this continent
with modern roads has been the most
amazing provision of public utility
chat any community ever accom-
plished in similar period" said Mr..
Macdonald Historians say the
Roman Empire was held together by
its highway system, radiating from
Rome to the Provinces But America
has converted a continent into a
ueichborhood within a few years.
This accomplishment really repre-.
sents the inauguration OF a new sys.
Ism of AVIATION; system of licenses
and excuses levied against particular
PRIVILEGES or classes of property, the
proceeds being dedicated TO highway
development
For 1925 state taxes on gasoline
aggregated S143,000,000 Add to that
1903 500,000 for automobile registra-
ton and licenses; $150,000000 as
property taxes on the 20,O00,000 auto.
mobiles: S143, 430,7O9 as the Federal
excise tax on automobiles, parts and
accessories for 1926; $50,000,000 to
represent wheelage taxes, special
taxes on gasoline or cars, and fines
collected from motor drivers. The
total reaches approximately $749,-
930709
Nearly s1,1oo,o 100000 Yearly Tolls
But these figures do not include
income and corporation taxes derived
from the motor car business. Nor do
they include state, local. production.
corporation or income taxes of the
petroleum industry. Yet that indus
try has a capitalization of about
$4,000 1000, 600. A modest estimate for
these, added to the preceding figures,
makes a total OF S1,094, $3.50, 709, which
is considerably more than the entire
amount spent on country roads.
you observe that | have not in
Guided the governments expenditures
OF nearly $100.G00,000 in Federal aid
to road building. In the eight years
from 1918 to 1925 inclusive, the Gov
eminent has contributed $460000.000
to help the states build roads. That
is considerably less than half Of what
the country spent on roads in either
1924 or 1925. Moreover, in the same
eight years, while the Government
was Distributing that S460,000,000 to
tie states, it collected S873,000.000 in
Internal revenue taxes ON motor cars,
nd ri
draGs Of millions were collected in in
come and corporation taxes from mo-
tor car manufacturer anu dealers.
Thus it appears that Federal con
tribu ION to rI,aas as con- pared to the
contribution OF people who make and
use the cars and the gasoline has
been decidedly modest
But, while Federal contribution is
only about 10 per cent Of highway ex.
pense. it has accomplished results al
together cut Of proportion TO its
amourt First it was an incentive to
the States Tn, Government required
shem to invest as much as it con
ributed Then the Government takes
part in a general supervision Of con
structioa and L share in determining
routes So we have built roads or
better standards, and have got them
organized into truly national sys
lem instead of forty EIGHT state sys
tens
Unifyne the Road System
Some day it viii be realized tha,
this was the most valuable CENTRUM
lion. Driving from Boston to New
York. man may pass through four
states Every one might have
splendid highway system: but if these
did not articulate at the state lines
the trip would be almost impossible
Thanks to the decentralization under
Federal influence. country roads are
as superior to state boundary lines as
are railroads
1.-THE Federal highway act of 1921
required that a complete nation-reach
ing system cf roads be designated
within TWO years as the roads to
which Uaele Sam would give assist
ance ! was foul that there were
2,s66.06l miles Of sighway in the
country. OF these per cent. or 300.