Smyrna times., 1903-01-07

bill has been introduced in Con-
gress to provide for the expenditure of
millions of dollars of the public money
in the construction of good roads. Since
under its provision every state would
be benefited, it should be a matter of
much interested to farmers in general.
The bill is fathered by Congressman
Walter P. BrOwnlow of Tennessee.
The subject of good roads is timely
one for Delaware and has received
more or less discussion at Horticultural
societies and Farmers Institutes. In
speaking of the BrOwnlow Bill, the
Morning NetUs of Wilmington SAYS:
1T would not be new thing for the
national government to build roads,
but the scheme outlined is something
new IN its details. 1t does not provide
that the national government shall
build roads directly, but that a certain
amount of money shall be given to any
state, or subdivision of state, from
which an application for assistance has
DCSa AONNAfCN IL BlOBCI DEOYlu-
ed, however, that a state shall only re-
celve out of the money appropriated
sum based upon the proportion its pop
ulatlOn bears to the total population
of the country. In other words, a
state with five millions of inhabitants
would receive help upon the same
basis as a state with population of two
million of Inhabitants, the larger state
receiving the most money. The posi-
ton is taken that the increased demand
for the rural mail delivery service has
made good and better roads imperative.
Under Mr.. Brownlow's bill New
Castle county, Delaware, or any one
of the hundreds, could apply, under
certain regulations, for assistance from
the government, but none of the mon
ey thus appropriated could be used for
streets IN towns or cities. The scheme
looks well, according to its considera-
tiOn by Mr.. BrowhlOw in the current
number of The Cosmopolitan. With
measure such as the one now in the
House enacted into a law every state
IN the Union could secure a certain
sum of money to aid in road building,
and Delaware has every reason to hope
that it may come in for some assis-
tsnce from the national government.
The state should first of all do some
thing in the way of making plans for
rational and economical expenditure
OF money in road building. New Jer-
sey has spent millions of dollars for its
roads, and so have New York, Mass
achusetts, and Georgia, and the aver
age cost per mile is about one-half of
the cost per mile to construct the cold
National Road" There is no state in
Union where it is any easier to build
roads we'll and cheap than in Delaware.
We have the stone here, and the state
Is, for the most part, level. The grades
save IN the upper end of New Castle
county, are not excessive and fifty
thousand dollars, for instance, could
be made to go further here then in
Pennsylvania
1t is well for the national govern
ment to take a hand in the matter of
better roads. 1t is certainly within
the function OF CtusIcss to DO some
thing of the kind proposed. Congress
IS especially authorized to establish
post Offices and post roads," and by
the introduction of the rural mail ser
vice almost every road has become
post road. The agitation for good
roads and more of them is growing.
and Delaware should start in to help it.
self out of the slough of bad highways
and then, if the Brownlow measure is
passed, the national government can
help along the work.
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