The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1927-03-17
Maryland's Highways Equal To
Best In The Country
(From The Marylander)

that the overshadowing question be-
fore the people of the whole State
(and the same is true of all the
States) is the roads question-and
all far-seeing citizens are beginning
to recognize that this is the fact.
Winter and summer, it is the great
problem. The prosperity of the whole
country depends on good roads-the
very existence of the cities and towns
of all sizes depends on the condition
Of the roads leading to them. The
general convenience and welfare of
the population everywhere depend on
the roads, and the wise prophecy
made by the late Senator Arthur P.
German, thirty-three years ago, that
in the future the all-important ques-
ton would be the transportation ques-
ton, that it would overshadow and
dwarf all other questions, is now veri-
fed in all parts of the world, and es-
pecially in those sections where the
rapidly increasing population de-
mands not only easy and quick
methods of travel from place to place,
but, above all else, quick methods of
transporting all sorts of produce
and manufactured goods and raw ma
terial out of which the necessaries of
life are made can be carried all
distances, both small and great, in the
shortest possible time. In fact go
where you will among all sorts of
people, and in all sorts of PAGES, the
dominant subject of discussion, now,
is roads-and this is the case not only
in the remote sections of the country,
but also in the towns and cities. 1t
is becoming evident to all that the
very prosperity and comfort of all de-
ponds on the roads, and the means
of transportation provided on these
roads.
This State (and most other
States) have spent several years in
their endeavor to solve the problem
of raising the money to finance the
road building, as well as the road re-
pairing, and, at last when the burden
was becoming almost too heavy to be
borne, when the tax levy was becom-
ing unbearably severe, on account of
the large sums necessary to carry out
the plans in any degree of effective
ness, and to maintain the cost of the
necessary repairs, when the bond
issues were piling up an indebtedness
on the States and the Counties, which
promised to bear heavily not only on
the present but future generations,
the gasoline tax was devised which
would place the cost where it properly
belongs-on the people who use the
roads, and relieve the general tax
levy of the greater part of the weight
for there are thousands of auto
mobiles owned and operated by people
who own no other property, and
whose only contribution to the public
treasury comes from the COMPARE
lively small sums they are obliged to
pay as automobile owners. These
people are among the most frequent
users of the roads and the only way
to get anything out Of them is to
collect tax on every gallon Of gaso-
line they use,-and another class, who
are also frequent users of the roads
are the tens of thousands of people
from other States, who daily and
hourly are traversing and wearing
out the roads in their machines-and
who now are contributing but trife
to the expense of maintenance. There
is no question but that the imposition
of this proposed increase in this tax is
the only just and equitable way in
which those for whom the roads are
largely necessary, and by whom they
are almost exclusively used, should
pay their proportional share of the
great expense of the repairs and re-
construction of the highways, after
the general tax payers of the
commonwealth have built them, and
are expected in time, to pay the
bonds already issued and to be issued,
for what has already been done, and
what will be done in the way of con-
struction.
1t is the prevailing opinion in all
parts of the State and even in Balti-
more City, outside of small number
of truck owners, that Mr.. Mackall
has devised the only really sensible
and just way to carry on the large
amount of constructive repair work
that is provided in his plans. His
long experience on the job, the tirelesls
energy that he has devoted to it, the
rigid determination with which he has
been carrying out his program,
despite the hostile criticism he has
received Tin which The Marylander
at times vigorously joined) entitle
him to much more consideration than
he has been accorded, and his strenu-
Gus backing of this gasoline tax
proposition which is, in the opinion
Of practically all those who have
viewed it without prejudice, and