Show GOOD ROADS GAIN GENERAL SUPPORT New York Pennsylvania and California Lead Lea in Appropriations Appropriations for or Work or orTho Tho The year corning coming to a close has been beena een eena a notable one ono from two viewpoint t of good g roads enthusiasts lasts in man many It would bo ho noteworthy If there I were nothing else to record than the action of oC many man states tates In making snaking liberal liberal lib lIb- eral roads appropriations Now York tops the list with the bon bond Issue added to Its previous appropriation tion of oC an equal amount Pennsylvania i follows with a proposed appropriation ap- ap I which there Is ls assurance will bo be C favorably acted upon b by its state tate legislature In California an 18 I bond hond Issue Is now being ex expended expended ex- ex in Maine Maino the bond Issue Issue Is- Is j I sue RUe has been authorized to be met by bythe the automobile foes too smaller appropriations I j lions In other states state all nIl point to a avast avast vast betterment In road conditions In Inthe Inthe inthe the next few years The defeat of or the bond Issue In Ohio is the I Ionly only discouraging feature of tho year ear and oven this say the Ohio good roads advocates ad Is certain to be reconsidered In the tho near future Of the many contentions het hold held during tho the year car two are especially I th thy The American road congress at Atlantic City N N. J. J brought together I road builders and road users In I I j co Most Important however was the time first federal e cral aid airi good I roads convention called by the American Anion Ameri can Automobile association and hold held In I l Washington D D. D C C. In n January and out I of which i h have vo e already como omo results far- far reaching and which give promise of ot greater reater things timings at no distant cIa day lon don Dua Duay Tho Time federal aid convention formulated formulated formulated formu formu- the proposal ml for the tho appointment of a congressional committee to Investigate Investigate ato and report upon the whole I subJect subJect subject sub sub- of ot federal p participation in highway highway high high- way construction The Time resolution providing pro pro- pro pro-I i viding for tor such a 11 commission slon was I adopted b by Congress the commission was appointed an and is 18 now no noat at work worl Tho rho I I federal aid sentiment already strong In I Congress found foun further t expression In In I the appropriation or of for thO mo I Improvement of rural post roads and the good roads enthusiasm stimulated I and by the tho A. A A. A A. A with the agricultural business an and highway associations operating co has spread throughout the tho United States StatS so BJ that the beginning of 1913 finds the federal aid ald question to be not one of oC whether the government should spend national funds upon roads but as fiS to tho the form which such appropriations should take On this point another noteworthy event ent of oC the year was tho the action of oC the A. A A. A A A. at Its ILc annual meeting In placing itself squarely on record as favoring the tho construction of 01 a system of oC national roads and opposed to the scattering and piecemeal distribution of or government funds for purely purel local highways which work worl properly devolves devolves devolves de de- de- de on the states with county and township co Even though there Is little likelihood of ot the present Congress taking any Important action on the th subject of ot federal fed fed- oral eral aid the Joint committee Is busily engaged collecting data and information Information Information tion upon which to base its reports All but hut one of the tho members of the Joint c committee nave either cither been re-elected re to the House or their continuance In Inthe Inthe inthe the Senate la is assured The governors of all the states have been called upon for detailed information as to highway conditions In their respective states and Information Is also being gathered Jl from front hl highway hwa departments and and other sources As M a result the third Sixty Con Congress when It comes Into existence on March 4 4 1913 will have before It a I volume of oC Information on the subject of good roads never before available and which will well be of oC vast service in ln formulating a policy of or federal aid ald The second federal convention to be beheld j held meld in Washington simultaneously simultaneous I with the beginning of tho new Congress Congress Con Con- gress will bring tho the organized motorists motorists motor motor- con I hIts the farmers and tho time business men who will be represented thoro hero Into closer operation co-operation with Congress on this thiN matter malter and undoubtedly will re result result rosult ro- ro sult In speedy action along federal aid lines This belief that 1913 will see the beginning of ot a new national roads policy pol pol- Ic icy is strengthened by th time tho fact that tho the new President of ot the tho United States h huts hns s placed himself convincingly on record In favor of federal aid |