The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1926-04-29

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These are some Of the high points
presented by Thomas Il Macdonald,
Chief 81 the Esresa Of paAlto Reads,
Department q ASrieessuee, In an In
serview oa Highway development
The eeaS paeat q sAss eaatinen,
~isA naosega coaaS has seen The most
amazing asee9ssoa - = gable utility
SaAt Any eSsaz anssx ever accom-
rlSAss 81 xniasr neTsa&, said Mr.
MAJ Donald Historians say the
asas3 soa es-e was Ael6 together by
rs Highway sysseuas ra3tating from
Resaa te ~ Provinces Bur America
has converted 4 continent into a
ee ghbcrhoo6 within few years.
This accom- plishmen, really repre-
seats the inauguration or a new sys
TEN OF taxation: a system OF licenses
aud excuses levied against particular
privileges or classes of property. the
proceeds being dedicated to highway
development.
For 1926 state taxes on gasoline
aggregated s143,000.000 Add to that
s263 500, 900 for automobile registra-
ton and licenses; s150,000,000 as
property taxes on the 20.000000 auto
mobiles; S143,430,709 as the Federal
excise tax on automobiles, parts and
accessories for 1925; $50,000,00O to
represent wheelage taxes, special
taxes on gasoline or cars, and fines
collected from motor drivers The
total reaches approximately $749,-
930,709
Nearly s1,1oo,ooo,ooo 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
50 900, 600, 900 A modest estimate for
these, added to the preceding figures,
makes a total of $1.094 .930.709, which
is considerably more than the entire
amount spent on country roads
"You observe that | have not In
cluded the governments expenditures
of nearly $100,000,000 in Federal aid
to road building In the eight years
| from 1918 to 1925 inclusive, the Gov
eminent has contributed s460,O00,0OO
to help the states build roads That
is considerably less than half of what
the country spent on roads in either
1924 or 1926 Moreover. In the same
eight years, while the Government
was distributing that $460,000,00O to
the states, II collected 1878 900 900 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 anc
use the cars and the gasoline has
been decidedly modest
"But, while Federal contribution Is
only about 10 per cent OF highway ex
pense, 1t has accomplished results al
togo Their out of proportion to Its
amount. First, it was an incentive tt
the States Th1 Government required
them to invest as much as 1t con
tributed Then the Government takes
part in a general supervision of con
struction and & share In determining
routes. So we have built roads or
better standards. and have got then
organized into a truly national sys
TEN instead OF forty-eight state sys
tens.
Unfying the Road System
Some day 1t will be realized tina
this was the most valuable eontribu
ton Driving from Boston to New
York, a man may pass through foul
states. Every one might have {
splendid highway system; but y these
did not articulate at the state line
the trip would be almost impossible
Thanks to the standardization unde
Federal influence, country roads arr
as superior to state boundary lines al
are railroads.
1.-THE Federal highway act of 1872
required that complete nationreach
ing system OF roads be designated
within two years. as the roads 4
which Uncle Sam would give assist
ance. II was found that there wer
2.S66.O61 miles of highway in tn
country. OF these per cent or 200