The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-01-21
NATIONAL WORK FOR GOOD
ROADS

A bill has just been introduced in the
house Of representatives and referred to
the committee on appropriations for the
creation of a special commission on high
ways. II provides that one senator. two
representatives. the chief Of engineers Of
the army. the director OF the geological
survey n the chief Of road inquiry Of
the department Of agriculture shall con-
stitute a commission to continue during
the life OF the present congress. to make
reports by bill or otherwise. and to in
quire generally how the government may
promote the improvement Of highways by
the scientific location OF roads on the
public domain. the employment OF the
geological survey in the discovery OF read
materials, the free testing OF road ma
terials, the construction OF road ma
terials, the construction Of model roads
and instruction in roadmaking at agri-
cultural colleges and experiment stations,
the military academy, and, when prac-
ticable. at all institutions having a mill
tary instructor. The commission is also
to confer with the interstate commerce
commission and with railway officials to
secure reduced rates for the ~transporta-
ton Of road materials, and by conference
with state authorities and organizations
10 aid in awakening general interest in
road Improvement.
At this snge OF the good roads move
ment it is rot necessary to speak Of ;he
value OF the work The need Of better
highways in the interest OF all classes is
generally recognized. but. as with every
other reform. the chief obstacle 20 over
come is the inertness OF people who know
what ought TO be done. but who do not
know how TO do 1t and are not yet stirred
up to activity. Local and even state in
terest in road Improvement can accom-
plish' much, but the tendency in every
enterprise involving the spending OF
money is for the small body to hang be-
hin the larger. The natural supposition
would be that the farmers who use the
roads most would be first 10 demand
their perfection. but they hesitate to
spend more money than neighboring
communities, and II is only with encotr-
agement from the state that they can be
induced to make any outlay. So the
states need to be aroused to a common
interest in the subject, and the citizens
need TO feel that it is a matter of CON-
rqau runrarn VnVn . .avA- --sr 49,
consider it a disgrace 10 have such roads
as are now too often endured with no at
tempt at Improvement.
II is not the function Of the national
government 10 undertake the construc-
ton of IA roads in the states. but
Mr.. Crisp's objection, made four years
ago, that it is an infringement Of state
rights to inquire into the condition Of
roads in the states ard to encourage
their betterment, Is not worthy OF serious
consideration. The educational enter
prises Of the federal government have
gone too far for the revival OF the Old
internal Improvements controversy OF 20
years ago, and It is not proposed to re-
peat the experiment Of those times and
build post roads through the states with
national revenue. The efforts Of the de-
partment Of agriculture 10 promote local
prosperity and distribute useful informa.
ton are as revolutionary as the modest
proposal that the government encourage
road building. The bill before the house
demands no large outlay. It simply ap-
propriates so. 1905, being the amount re.
turned to the treasury ~unexpended from
the last two years appropriations for
road inquiry. The office Of road Inquiry
OF the department Of agriculture has
done valuable work in circulating infor-
nation regarding improvements in differ
ent states and hints on methods Of con-
struction n repair available under vary
ing conditions. 1t is believed by those
who are doing the chief work for i'm
proved highways that the proposed com,
mission would be a valuable aid in the
enterprise, and their opinion IS entitled
to consideration.