The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-02-05
U.S.. TO HELP US
OUT OF THE MUD
Bill to Have the National Govern
ment Cooperate With State
for Good Roads
An Appropriation of $4,000, 900
for This Purpose Is
Asked For. -
Bill Will Be Pushed Next Spring
States and Counties
Must Help.
from The Journal Bureau, Room As, Post Build.


ing, Washington.
Washington, Feb. "a measure now
pending in congress concerns vitality the
agricultural Interests 1t is the good
roads bill which was introduced by Rep
resentative Brownlow of Tennessee It is
the bill to have the federal government
cooperate with state and local author-
lies to build good country roads and it
provides for an appropria ton of $40. 000-
900. Mr.. Brownlow does not expect to get
- the bill before congress the present ses-
sion but he is laying the ground work for
Its consideration by the congress whose
life begins March 5 next.
Martin Dodge, the director Of the Of
nee of public road Inquiries, said that the
movement might we'll be called the hand
maiden of rural free mail delivery.
Mr.. Dodge cited a paragraph from the
resolutions adopted by the annual good
roads state convention of the state Of
New York recently as bearing out his
contention that system Of good roads in
county Increases the value of all farm
lands in that county not less than 81 an
acre and that $50,000000 spent on the
roads Of that state alone would be a
profitable investment. This paragraph
reads:
Your committee believes that the expenditure
Of 900 the highways of the state
would bring about increased values to the ag-
xcultursl interests of the state that would more
than compensate the state for the expenditure
Incurred An increase of 81 for each
of the 81 ,961 ,552 acres of farm lands would
make increased value state property of
go, 1851, $50
In the states of New York, New Jer-
Sey, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode
Island the legislatures have already
acted good roads laws, and made appropri
Etions, while in twenty-five others the
scientific building of good roads has been
undertaken by county and township au-
thorities. AS the chief officer Of the
department who has to do with the dis
xemination Of advice and instruction gen
orally Mr.. Dodge has already on file some
thing like 100 requests from all parts of
the country to come or send somebody to
give the people who are about to begin
scientific road building advisory talk.
This week he went to Maine and New
Hampshire by invitation to address legis-
Iative committees of those states on good
roads. Recently he attended a good
roads state convention in Arkansas which
was the largest ever held In the south,
section where the agitation for good roads
is even more pronounced than in some of
the northern states. In New ork the
automobile club Of America is working
heartily with the state association of
supervisors for an issue of 100000 Of
bonds for good roads, and the Chicago Au-
tomobiIe Club at it's big exhibition next
month will for the first time get in line
for the good roads crusade. and they have
invited Mr.. Dodge to come and address
them which he will do. ..,
Here are expressions by Secretary Will
son, by Mr.. Dodge and by Representative
Brownlow, which may be read with in
terest Secretary Wilson's views are:
Some Voices for Good Roads.
No other form Of internal improvement so d-
1ectly and vitality affects the welfare Of the
agricultural classes. I know the principal OBJ
rtacle to road Improvement is the burden OF
taxation that 1t imposes. But in considering
tfs question, the taxpayers should remember
that bad roads impose enormous burdens, a sort
of perpetual tax, from which there is no escape
except through the permanent improvement Of
the highways. While the burden of taxation
may appear heavy. the money spent in improv-
fng he highways should be looked upon as an
investment. the returns from which will increase
the prosperity of the community far more than
1t is depleted by the necessary taxation. Then,
Besides the material advantages, there are com
forts and pleasures more and social benefits,
resulting from good roads which Of meal
eulable value to any eomlnunitE Where GOOD
benefits enjoyed, the people are never willing to
get along without them.
Mr. Dodge contributed this:
Among the arguments offered at the great
Arkansas convention in favor Of national aid
we're that the revenues of the United States gov
srnment. aggregating nearly Sooo0OOOOO per
year, are drawn as much from the agricultural
areas as from all other sources combined, yet at
the same time. when 1t comes to the distribution
of the fund.- not than 10 per cent Of 1T
Is put out In such districts whereas 80 per cent
IS distributed in the great cities for public
buildings battleships munitions Of f, war harbor
shifted very largely from lack of attention and
consideration. 1t is believed that congress
would make appropriations for improving roads
rs we'll as rivers if urged to do so by the people
Of the rural districts.
Colonel Kingsland, president of the ST.
Louis Manufacturers association, who at
tended the convention, in an address
said that 'it was the early and continued
policy. of the United States to foster and
encourage manufa curing. even as a
recognized burden upon agriculture and
commerce, until it should have its equal
share in the progress of the country and
reciprocate the benefits received. We are
now ready to cooperate with the agricul-
tural commercial. transportation. and
social interests of the country in obtaining
good roads, so essential to it's continued
prosperity Modern thought and expert
cessful method of securing a system Of
improved public roads is by national
state. county and municipal cooperation
in eoua1izing the burden of their cost anG
maintenance. 1t is unjust and inequitab le
to lay the burden Of cost of improved
highways upon the agricultural districts
The public road. is the common property
of all, and the cost should be shared by
all. The constitution empowers the gen.
eral government to construct military anG
post roads The rapid mobilization OF
her troops by sure and natural means
the extension Of rural mail delivery, anC
the advancementsin , social, economic an6
educational interests so conducive to gooC
government. demands that the genera
government give substantial aid to com.
mon road Improvement.
MIR. RrownIow's Idea.
Representative Brownlow writes:
1.-THE idea Of the national governments
taking an active part in the construction
of the highways. so popular three quar-.
ters of a. century ago. has for several dec
AIDES been. considered Obsolete. But the
interest manifested in the Brownlow bill
which provides for national aid to roat
building. shows that this idea is yer!
much alive.
ut is now ten years since the popua
demand that Uncle Sam do something
to haul us out of the mud led to the es
Establishment of office of public roat
inquiries in the United States depart
ment of. agriculture The, work of t1li
office was intended to be purely educa
tional in character. 1t was to collee
and disseminate practical information con
corning the roads of the country an,
means and methods for their improve
So q