Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1903-07-25
ROAD IMPROVEMENT.
THE Bull DING OF HIGHWAYS BY
NATIONAL AID.
Some Interesting Views of Repre-
sentative Men Who Are In Favor
of This FIan For the Betterment
of Public Highways.

some interesting Nlr"H Oh NtpEc-
sentative Men who Are In Favor
of This rIan For the Betterment
of Public Highways.
The question of road improvement in
the United States seems within the
past year to have resolved itself into
the question of national aid. When
any one is asked to say something OH
the road question, he takes it for grant
ed that you want to know whether he
thinks the government should help
build the roads. Many leading men
have recently given their Endorsement
to this new idea or rather old idea, for
1t is now nearly century since JEFF
fcrson signed the first national aid bill.
Some of these views are interesting. In
a recent speech ex-senator Butler Of
South Carolina said:
There is ample constitutional war
rant for the Improvement of the public
roads out of the United States treasu-
ry, as large as there is for the improve
ment of rivers and harbors or for the
support of the agricultural colleges. 1t
is an appropriation from which we
would all get benefit and to which we
would all contribute share. The con-
stitution of the United States confers
upon congress the right to establish
postOffices and postroads. Every high
way is a post route If the government
chooses to use it. Even I'm the days Of
John c. Calhoun he recommended the
distribution of the surplus among the
several states. and it was done. | think
the best thing for us to do is to go to
our representatives and senators in
congress and say to them, The great
demand of modern times is the i'm
provement of the public highways, and
the federal government should con-
tribute"
Governor Montague of Virginia is do
ing everything in his power to secure
state legislation for road Improvement.
and he is also in favor of national
aid. He says:
I'VE should not, however, overlook
national aid. believe this in time will
come The so called constitutional
barrier against national appropriation
must fall to the ground. The national
government has constructed public
highways unoppOsed by the strictest
constructionstS of the federal cOnsti-
tuition. Moreover, if the national gov
ernment can appropriate money TO
build harbors and to irrigate lands of
the states. how much greater Is the
reason and the right for national aid
to public highways, the primal and
abiding factors Of transportation, both
local and interstate"
Speaking on the same subject. Cen
eral Nelson \. Miles says:
"The United States government has
appropriated $4S0.0O0,OOO for rivers
and harbors during the last twenty
two years and only about $S.0OO,O00 for
the improvement of the country roads.
Now it appears to us that it is fitting
time to draw the attention not only OF
the people that are Immediately inter-
estcd, but of your representatives both
in the United States and the state leg
islative bodies, because it is one Of the
projects that are bound to contribute to
your welfare and happiness"
General Fitz- Hugh Lee, referring to
this subject, says:
"If you improve the roads, you begin
at the foundat ton of prosperity for the
people. The government of the United
States appropriates now large sum
every year for military purposes. 1t
appropriates money for our mechanical
and agricultural colleges. Now, mas
I, I, nSiS nP
prosperity both in country and city,
why should not the government appro-
pirate an adequate sum of money an
nually for road Improvement
Assistant Secretary of Agriculture
Colonel J. III. Brigham recently ex-
pressed himself as favorable to ma
tional aid. Among other things he
said:
II believe the general government
can help in this work of improving the
highways. | am one of those who be-
lieve it is always right for the strong
arm of the government to be extended
to help her people in every section OF
the country. The government could
appropriate Il certain sum to be supple
mented by appropriations from state
and county and then ask the locality
where the road is to be constructed to
contribute Il certain amount and bring
these funds all together. Then it would
not be burdensome upon any one, and
the work would be started here, there
and everywhere, and in a few short
years, without unduly burdening any
body, without impoverishing the ma
ton or the state, we would see good
highways extending all over our land,
Identifying the country, enriching the
people and adding to their intelligence
and happiness in many ways
Machinery For Road improvement.
The tendency of the present age Is
toward the use of machinery wherever