The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1939-02-16

large number of messages from
Ashe citizens relative to the
speech and that he thanks them
for the intereSt)
To divert or not to divert high
way funds, that is the question
that has been uppermost in the
minds of many legislators as they
face the perplexing problems
which they must endeavor to
solve in the interest of all the
peope of North Carolina. No
question is finally settled until
it is settled right.
I yield to none in my admira-
ton and respect for our great
Governor. l am from AShe Coun-
ty, which not only supported him
overwhelmingly in the primary,
but was one of the four counties
which gave him a greater MAORI
ty than the recordbreaking ma
jority for President Roosevelt in
the election of 1886.
This is not a fight against him
or just fight between him and
cerain special interests. l repre-
sent no special interest. l do want
to represent the more than 10000
residents of a rural mountain
county, while keeping in mind
the welfare of our entire State,
which should be inconsistent with
their welfare and their interests.
We must answer our conStitu-
entS for the votes we cast and the
results of those votes. If speak
of highway conditions in Ashe
County it is because of my famil-
iarity with such conditons,-well
aware that similar conditions
probably exist in every section OF
North Carolina. It is not said
in criticism of our State High
way Commission to state the
simple fact that we have IN
Ashe County two highly import
ant so-called secondary roads not
yet completed, one known as
highway No. Is, connecting with
a hard surfaced road at the Ten
nesSee line. the construction OF
which was first promised by Hon.
Frank Page in 1927, and the i'm
pcrtance of which has been free
ly and fully recognized by every
one of his successors; the other
CONNECTING with the State Of
Virginia. TpaSsing through one Of
the most populous and agricul-
turally important sections of the
county. The only reason which
has been given through the years
for failure to construct these
reads is the lack of money.
We are told that for the next
biennium. with the threat Of dl-
version of highway funds in the
Offing, not one dollar has been
definitely set aside for the con-
struction of any secondary roads;
that is. new construction. If this
is true, and l must assume that
it is true, we need more money
and not less money in the high
way fund. Three fourths of Ashe
County and a large portion Of
other sections Of North Carolina
are not yet out Of the mud in this
Good Road State. Is it not true
that the State Highway Commits
sion can not definitely set aside
any specific sum for secondary
roads unless it knows how much
money will be available?
May briefly reply to one crit
icism that is made of those who
opposed diversion? They have
been accused of putting roads
ahead of schools in their think
ing and in their interest in the
schools; and no man in this Gen
eral Assembly feels more keenly
the necessity of maintaining the
progress which we have made in
education in North Carolina and
of going in q program for the well
fare of all its children from the
mountains to the sea. Every day
brings me many letters from
teachers, setting forth a program
worthy of the sympathetic con-
sideration of every legislator. But
let me remind the teachers and
friends of education in North
Carolina that we have entered
upon a gigantic program of con-
solidation and transportation. We
cannot build school house7at the
door of every child, nor even in
his immediate neighborhood. We
must transport the child to
school in decency or safety,-or
economically, if we think of on
ly dollars and cents,-unless we
maintain, improve and construct
a system of secondary roads as
extensive as the network of ne
cessary bus routes,-and so de-
pendable that the buses can run