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Show HIGHWAYS NATIONAL SYSTEM IN FAVOR WITH FARMERS OF COUNTRY Farm sentiment is very strongly in favor of the construction and maintenance mainte-nance of a national system of highways high-ways by and under the direction of tho federal government. IT replies received re-ceived to a referendum by the American Ameri-can Farm Bureau federation can be taken as a criterion. The federation is one of the largest farm organizations organiza-tions in the United States with local federated 'organizations in twenty-eight twenty-eight stated Answers to the highway question arc still coming into Ihe office of J. R. Howard. pJ-esJdent of the federation, but those received thus far are almost unanimously in favor of a broadened national road policy. Several of the writers express the bolief that only through actual government participation participa-tion can a network of highways be built. Many letters express the feeling feel-ing that once the slates and counties are relieved, of the burden of aiding in construction and maintenance of the main lines which have an interstate inter-state importance, the construction of farm-to-market roads will proceed much more rapidly. The statement of Senator Charles K. Townsend, chairman of the senate roads, that no further road approprla-rommlttee approprla-rommlttee on postofflces and post tlons should be voted at this session of congress because of the unsettled condition of the treasury and because ol the fact that large funds are al-' ready available for continued construction," construc-tion," is concurred in by several of the farm bureau officials, who hold that further Increases should not be undertaken. under-taken. The senator's belief that unification unifica-tion of highway activities under Ihe direction di-rection of a body which shall give close attention to engineering features and to a study of the economics of transportation, will result in economy is generally approved. The referendum was an informal one. A letter was sent by President Howard, placing the subject before the members of Ihe federation for their consideration without bias, and a copy of the highway bill which Mias been prepared by Senator Townsend and Is now before the senate was inclosed. There was also a leiter addressed by Senator Townsend to President Howard How-ard In which the reasons for a broadened broad-ened national policy were summarized These were mailed out to most of the local officials of the federation. |