The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1903-02-11
FOR BETTER HIGHWAYS.
Brownlow Good Roads Bill Dis
-Co-Operation of the
National Government
With the Several
states.

| RON6EnuSnI udS tdhcn uO 5uOotdA'
tial part in building or maintain.
ing public highways in this coun,
try for the last two generations il
accepted by many people as fina
pr oof that the general government
is forbidden, either by constitution
al limitations or by sound public
policy, from engaging in any in,
ternal Improvement. On the other
hand, ii should be noted that nc
system of public highways was
ever built up or maintained In the
country without the substantial aid
OF the general government of that
country. The utmost universal
lack of improvements in regard to
our public highway system is di-
rectly reterable to the fact that
there has been no we'll established
system or policy pertaining to the
question.
Those who have done most to
agitate for permanent improve
ments have found that the farmers
of the country have almost invar-
iably been opposed to any general
plan heretofore suggested for the
building up of permanent and dur
able roads, although it is generally
conceded that the farmers would
be benefited as much, if not more,
than any class of people by such
roads. The real season for the
farmers objection is found in the
fact that, according to the ordinary
scheme of Improvement, he would
be called upon to pay the entire
burden of cost, which he intuitive-
ly feels to be greater than he is
able to bear.
Considering this long continued
opposition by the people in the ru-
raj districts, and the lack of policy
on the part of the general govern
ment, and especially considering
that road building is undoubtedly
a public duty which rests upon the
government in some form, it seems
likely that the farmers are entitled
to some assistance in bearing the
necessary burden of cost to improve
the public highways, and that the
United States government should
step forward with some definite
policy and assume some share of
the burden and responsibility
which is necessary to produce a
creditable system of public high
ways, and which has, as above
stated, never been effected in any
country at any time. without sub
stantial aid and encouragement of
the general government of the
country.
The Brownlow bill, 81. R. No.
15, 369. seeks to establish such a
policy to be followed by the Uni
ted States. 1t is a policy of coop
Grafton, and seeks to bring in the
general government as co-opera-
ting factor to work in connection
with any state or political sub.di-
vision thereof, so that the United
States should furnish one-half the
cost of improvement, and the state
or political su b. division thereof co.
operating should furnish the other
half. Section 5, 6 and Z are quo
ted from the bill as follows:
Seo. 5. That any state or politi-
cal subdivision thereof, through
its proper officers having jurisdic-
ton of the public roads, may apply
to the director of said bureau for
cooperation in the actual construc-
ton of permanent improvement
of any public highway within the
said state in the following manner;
Every application for co operation
herein provided for shall be accom-
panied by properly certified reso-
luton stating that the public in.
terest demands the Improvement OF
the highway described therein. but
such description shall not include
any portion of highway within
the boundaries of any city or moor.
porated village.
SEQ 6 That the director of the
said bureau, upon receipt of any
such application, shall investigate
and determine whether the high
way or section thereof sought to
be improved is of sufficient public
Importance to come with the pur.
poses of this act, taking into &C.
count the use, location and value
Of such highway or section thereof
for the purposes of common travel