The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1935-03-15
DIVERSION OF MOTOR VEHICLE
FUNDS

Baltimore, March 6.-"Owners and
operators of more than $4,000 farms
In Maryland, owning s7.972 cars and
1924 trucks, already overburdened
with every conceivable kind Of tax,
will be the real sufferers II diversion
of motor vehicle funds is enacted into
law" was the warning issued today
by P. C. Turner Of Parkton, chair
man OF the Highway Users Confer
ence of Maryland and president of
the Baltimore County Farm Bureau.
First diversion of motor revenue
funds was proposed by Governor
Nice in his budget message 20 the
Assembly," declared Mr.. Turner.
Listed as Senate Bill 73 and House
Bill 109, this diversion proposal was
followed only the other day by a re-
port of the Senate Finance Commit
tee reducing the $10,00O,000 bond
issue to $S,O00,0O0, thereby depriv-
ing road funds of $1,000,000. We
will not be misled by such a So
porific."
Mr.. Turner, who Is also director
of the Maryland Farm Bureau Fed
Grafton and an active dairy farmer,
was recently one of the organizers of
production credit associations in the
various counties.
Maryland has a state highway
system totalling $4,000 miles of
which only $500 miles are improv-
ed" stated Mr.. Turner. with SO
per cent of the farmers on dir
roads, 70.6 per cent owning cars and
1915 per cent trucks, they will in
deed be in sorry plight If we con-
tinue to neglect our road system.
Consider this, the average farmer
is obliged to travel 10 miles to mar
ket from a farm of only 1912 acres
TO market his produce in a car
worth only $3.50.
Vast quantities of produce from
fields, orchards, diaries and even the
waters of the Eastern Shore are an
nually harvested. The value of the
farm commodities alone total more
than $4,000, of which a certain
percentage are prepared for consump-
ton in various canning and packing
plants in these areas-for example,
Eastern Shore trucks alone haul ap-
proximately 100000 gallons of
milk annually to one Greensboro
cannery.
Diaries Lead
1.-THE higher percentage of farm
products are of perishable nature
and must be Immediately transported
to such distant markets as Washing
ton, Philadelphia, New York, and
Baltimore.
"Twenty-six per cent of all farm
products in Maryland are from
diaries, 1927 per cent poultry, 1913
per cent corn and S.16 per cent
trucking: $4,000 cattle and calves
are hauled over Maryland highways
each year.
Hundreds of people are employed
in food Industries" continued Mr..
Turner. "In order that they may
be healthy in mind and body it is
essential that they be provided with
adequate facilities for social and
commercial intercourse. Obviously,
the condition in which perishable
products reach the market has a di-
rect bearing ON the prices paid.
THE movement of non perishable
goods must be made at time when
market prices are at their best. In
order for the farmer, or for that
matter, any taxpayer of Maryland, to
realize the maximum return on his
investment in labor and money, he
must be provided with adequate high
way facilities.
Maryland farmers are squarely
behind the Highway Users Confer
ence and the Maryland Farm Bureau
Federation in the fight Of these two
groups to keep the highway funds in
tact for highways only. At recent
meeting of the Dorchester County
Farm Bureau 1t was pointed out that
rational plan of primary and Sec
ondary roads actually Is money
saver.
Further and more serious
thought must be given to Maryland
roads. 1t is a disgrace to this proud