The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-03-21
National Aid in Road Building

National Aid in Road Building.
The advocates Of national aid to
road improvement are diligent. An
interesting document just issued has a
report Of the hearing recently given
by the senate committee on agricul-
ture to representatives Of the National
Good Roads association.
It Is argued by these advocates OF
that the government Is committed to.
this policy by its expenditure of
$7,000,000 for that purpose during the
first quarter OF the last century; that
the rapid extension of rural free de-
livery imposes upon the government
the duty Of giving the people some
aid in the Improvement Of roads SO
that the rural delivery system may be
the success it was Intended to be.
State aid has produced important re-
suits in all the eastern states, and ma
tional aid is suggested as only an ex-
tension of the same principle. It Is
commended that If the Improvement of
rivers and harbors by the government
can be justified, the Improvement OF
public roads can be defended upon the
same ground. It is argued that there
is better warrant in the constitution
for national aid to public roads than
there is for federal aid to agricultural
colleges and experiment stations. The
precedent of government aid to rail-
roads is also made much Of. It is
claimed that every nation which has
reached a high state of civilization has
given national aid to public road
building. It is declared to be unfair
to place this burden entirely upon the
rural population, and that as a corol-
larry, as the farmers have submitted to
a protective tariff for the benefit of
| manufacturing Industries it is no more
than fair now that portion of the
be used in building country roads.
The advocates Of national aid to
| public road building are prosecuting a
very active campaign, and the outlook
is by no means void Of interest ia
those members Of congress who are
opposed to the plan. They contend
that it opens the doors to a. volume OF
expenditure which will far outrun
anything now undertaken by the gov
eminent. It is believed that once in.
augurated it is likely to lead to greater
expense in the not far distant future
than the pension rolls.
While no doubt great stimuli:
would be given to road building by the
proposed national aid, it is also doubt
less TRUE that no scheme has ever beer
brought before congress which is cal
culated to take out Of the treasury a:
much money as this one. 1t provides
Of course, for the expenditure Of a:
large or a larger sum of money by thu
local community, but a share -suffi
GENTLY large is provided by the gov
eminent to stimulate great activit.
and liberality of expenditure all Owe
the country. ."..-. &s.~.
No one will dispute the advantage
to be derived from good. roads. Tn
whole question is one Of public policy
probably involving the government il
volume Of expenditure never befor
equaled in time of peace. It is appre
hended by those who do not favor thi
scheme that it would bankrupt tn
government and the people; that
will speedily. exhaust the revenues, Q
the rate Of taxation, in order to NEE
these enlarged expenditures, will ris
to point burdensome and dangerou.
It certainly is a matter which ough
$ to receive most careful and seriou
consideration at the hands Of congress
r There is reason to believe, too, that
Y is receiving such consideration an
: that it will meet with very strenuou
8 opposition. Whether that oppositio
f will be sufficient to defeat it is yet
r be determined.