The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-04-30

These are some of the high points
presented by Thomas H. Macdonald.
Chief of the Bureau OF Public Roads,
Department of Agriculture, in an in
teryiew on highway development
The equipment OF this continent
with modern roads has been the most
amazing provision of public utility
that any community ever accom-
plished in a similar period said Mr..
Roman Empire was held together by
It's highway system, radiating from
Rome to the Provinces. But America
has converted a continent into a
neighborhood within few years.
This plishment really repre-
SCENTS the Inauguration or new sys-
tenn OF taxation; a 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 $143,000,00 Add to that
$263, 100000 for automobile registra-
ton and licenses; S150,000, 600 as
property taxes on the 10000. 600 auto
mobiles; SAB, 1904 as the Federal
excise tax on automobiles, parts and
accessories for 1925; $50.000,000 to
represent wheelage taxes, special
taxes on gasoline or cars, and fines
collected from motor drivers. The
total reaches approximately S749,-
s30,709
Nearly s1,1oo, 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, 900 ,O00 A modest estimate for
these, added to the preceding figures,
makes a total of $1,094 $50, 709. which
10 considerably more than the entire
amount spent on country roads.
you observe that | have not in
Guided the governments expenditures
of nearly $1OO.O0O.0OO in Federal aid
to road building In the eight years
from 1918 to 1925 inclusive, the Gov
eminent has contributed $460,000, 900
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 100000, 900 to
the states, 1t collected $S73,00O,000 in
internal revenue taxes on motor cars
parts and accessories. Other hun
dreds of millions were collected in in
come and corporation taxes from mo
tor car manufacturers and dealers
Thus 1t appears that Federal con
tribution to roads as compared to the
contribution of people who make and
use the cars and the gasoline hat
been decidedly modest
but, while Federal contribution II
only about 10 per cent Of highway ex
pense, it has accom- plished results al
together out of proportion to Its
amount. First, 1t was an incentive tc
the States. Thl Government required
them to invest as much as it con
tributed. Then the Government takes
part in a general supervision of con
struction and share in determining
routes. So we have built roads on
better standards, and have got them
organized into a truly national sys
tenn instead of forty-eight state sys
TENS.
unifying the Road System
Some day it will be realized tha
this was the most valuable contribu
ton. Driving from Boston to New
York, man may pass through foul
states Every one might have ;
splendid highway system; but if these
did not articulate at the state line!
the trip would be almost impossible
Thanks to the systematization undei
Federal influence, country roads ar
as superior to state boundary lines a,
are railroads.
1.-THE Federal highway act of 1872
required that complete nation-reach
ing system OF roads be designated
within two years, as the roads tt
which Uncle Sam would give assist
ance II was found that there wer,
2,s6s,061 miles of highway in tn
country. or these per cent, or 200