River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1903-11-12
THE BRoWNLOW BILL.
Interests OF Government Well Guar6-
ed, But q Potent Incentive to
Local Action.

One objection that has been urged
against the appropriation OF money by
the government to aid in road-buildi1g
is that the members of congress would
engage in such turmoil and unseemly
strifeS as are now witnessed in securing
appropriations for rivers and harbors.
This could not be the case under the
Brownlow bill, for it provides that no
state shall receive in aid OF road con-
struction out of any money appropri-
ated for that purpose greater proper
tion of the total amount appropriated
than its population bears to the total
population of the United States. To il
lustrate: If $40, 900 should be appro-
propriated, Massachusetts, would receive
approximately, $735,000; Alabama, S497,-
600; Tennessee, $524,000; Michigan,
1884, 900, and Maryland, $311 900.
However much work may be done by
either of these states, it could not re-
ceive more than it's proportion of the
amount appropriated. Nor could any
community in the several states COM
plain of another for trying to secure the
premium offered by the government in
taking prompt and effective action in
raising local funds to meet the require
ments of the government. 1t would be
a contest, not between states, but be-
tween different counties of the same
state, or between different subdivisions
of townships, but the bill makes it i'm
possible that there could be contests be-
tween the states themselves.
This bill is we'll guarded, also as to
the expenditure of the money appropri-
ated by the government. Application
must first be made by the officers having
jurisdiction of the public roads in any
state or county or district to the direc-
tor of the bureau of public roads for CO.
operation in the construction of pub
lie highway. After the application is
made with the required resolution the
director of the bureau of public roads
must have the route Investigated to de-
termine whether such proposed road
would be of sufficient Importance to
receive national aid. If it should be ap-
proved by the director upon investiga-
ton then maps are to be prepared, plans
and specifications made, the width of
the road determined, together with an
estimate of its cost.
A second application, with resolution,
is then made by the local authorities and
filed with the director, in which assur-
ance is given that such road or section
thereof shall be constructed according
to the provisions of the act. The di-
rector then advertises for bids for the
construction of the road, and the con-
tract is awarded to the lowest respon-
sible bidder, or it may be awarded to the
state or county or subdivision. The d.
rector may then issue his warrant on
the treasurer of the United States, but
his warrant shall not be in excess of 80
per cent of the work performed and in
all cases the government shall hold back
20 per cent until the entire work has
been finished.
To anyone who will study closely the
provisions of the Brownlow bill 1t will
be apparent that the interests of the
government have been we'll protected in
every particular The value of the bill
is the benefcent influence it will exert
upon local action. Experience has
shown that something is necessary to
stimulate local effort in the matter of
road building. The history Of the con-
struction of roads in all European coun-
tries shows that no good permanent free
roads have ever been built by local as
sessment or taxation.