OCR Text |
Show GOVERNMENT WILl SOON BUILD ROADS National roads are coming In for repeated roference in the senate debates de-bates relating to appropriations bill. It Is evident that thoro is a constantly con-stantly growing bollof that tho fed-oral fed-oral government beforo long should concern Itself with the construction of trunk line roads, thus encouraging encourag-ing and making more convenient the great flood of interstate travel, which according to the American Automo-bllo Automo-bllo association touring board Is greater at tfie present time than it has over boon since tho coming of tho motor-driven vehicle. During the debate In the senate, Sonator Swanson of Virginia made this comment "Wo arc now confronted con-fronted with tho proposition whether the federal government shall or shall not oxtond aid for the development, Improvement, and construction of highways. The time has arrived, or will very' son arrive, when tho people peo-ple of the United States will domand that the federal government shall extend ex-tend proper aid. Whatover may be tho views of some, It is a question that must be inevitably mot, and ono that cannot be shirked When a government gov-ernment comeB to extend aid for roads there are two ways by which it can be done It can furnish the money and construct the road itself, or it can aid, stimulate, and lend Inducement In-ducement to the local authorities to do tho work of road construction and Improvement." Senator Hoyburn of Idaho believes, "When tho government enters upon this class of work it should be for tho construction of roads up to the standard of the highest use, not all at ono time, but continuously and gradually; not roads one part of which would be worn out beforo the other was constructed, but a systom of progressive construction that would result within a reasonable time in a s stem of permanent good roads " 'Senator Williams of Mississippi is a contender for first class construction construc-tion Said ho, "You must make one road good, then you must make another an-other good, a'nd then a third nnd then a fourth. There must bo some sohemo whereby that could bo dono with fairness to the states and the several sections of the country." Senator Lodge of Massachusetts contends, "If we are to enter upon the policy of federal aid In good roads It will Involve an expenditure of more millions than tho Panama canal cost, and it ought to bo done only after most careful consideration and on a broad, well understood, well arranged nlan, so lhat for the millions expended expend-ed we may get value in the return we desire in good roads," Senator Bourno of Oregon, who is chairman of the senate committee on post offices and post roads, said, "I am heartily In favor of good roads. My opinion is, however, that wo havo not sufficient Information to take Intelligent In-telligent action as to the best method meth-od of procedure." The resolution adopted at tho Washington fcderail aid convention In January last, for which tho A. A. A. National Good Roads board was ipon3cr, calling for a Joint commlt-eo commlt-eo of the two houses, was the basis )f a recommendation made to the .enato by its committee on post of-Iccs of-Iccs and post roads. This recom-nendation recom-nendation provided that a joint com-nittee com-nittee be created composed of three nembers of the senate committee and hree members of the house com-nlttee, com-nlttee, to mako Inquiry Into tho sub-ect sub-ect of federal aid in the construc-lon construc-lon of highways, and to report at the earliest practicable date. oo |