Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1904-03-03
GOVERNMENT AID FOR HIGH
WAYS.
u the Editor of The Messenger:

and upbuilding OF Vermont, ana LOT
that reason write you about hleasuIe
that is before Congress and Is attract-
inc a GOOD deal oil attention. Ihat Is
an me Brownlow and Latimer bills
providing that the government JOih
with the states in building goou
roads. The bill calls tor elght mil
lions wear for three years, out oil
eonrse that is only small beginning
and is intended as an entering Wedge.
| II provides that it is TO be distributed
on the basis II population except tlAt
no state is TO receive less tan TWO
hundred fifty thousand and every
state must raise as much as the gov
eminent furnishes.
AT first thought it is a taking meas
ure for every one is in favor Of goou
roads. am ready to admit there are
two sides 10 the question. We nave
expended a great amount OF money
for the Improvement Of waterways
many of them OF very little impor-
tance-of much less importance than
good highways would be-but the
contention is that these are natural
transportation and often interstate
routes. This policy Of approprlatlng
for the improvement OF rivers mas
been carried 10 an extreme in many
cases; has grown prodigiously ana is
apparently likely to grow, and the
benefits have not been by any means
equally distributed. Oh course YER
mont has had very small share
but il seems evident TO the most eX-
perienced Legislators that II We COM
mence on the policy oil appropriatlng
for roads that It will 90 lar beyond
the river and harb0r work and Will be
very unequal in lis operation. The
South and extreme West, as you
know, have practically no roads
nothing but trails-and they viii be
solid for measure OF this Kind, aud
no one can tOresee the end. When
you look at the area OF the country
where there are practically no roads,
where very little money Of the states
and counties has been spent for roads
and that little has been merely for
cheap repairs, and compare that area
with the northeast section where we
have been at work upon our roads
Tor from one 20 two hundred years,
YOU will see how unjust the measure
would work. Take our own case. /
We should raise two hundred fifty |
thousand year with an equal amount
from the government, until our roads
were in good condition, or until we
were tired Of the appropriation. Say
we raise IL for ten years. IL would /
be five million dollars and that would |
give tbs thousand miles of macada- |
mized road but then this policy would /
90 on and the public funds would be /
used for fifty or a hundred years, and /
we should have to 90 on appropriating
or else lose our share OF the fund.
After we begin upon roads it is GER
tain that bridges Will soon be included |
In fact il is already talked, and one
cannot imagine the amount that would /,
be taken for bridging the pig rivers Of
the south anu West to take the place
OF the foTds and ferries they now use.
Then again, why should it be con-
fined to country roadsP The cities |
yield a large part Of the revenue, and |
would it not be just that the provision I
should be extended TO city streets?
Vermont ought 10 have better roads, /
but she can afford to build them her
self, and ii seems 10 me she would be /
very much better OF IN the end to do 1
his than to have this measure adopt !
ed. Our roads have been improving so
lar as | know TOR the last ten years. 4
but ! would be glad 20 see our next 4
legislature formulate some measure 4
hat will accelerate this good work.
The wiser men of the country look |
With great apprehension upon the in
iuguration OF this measure. Ii is pa
ernalism OF the strongest kind and
a precedent in a new line
II legislation the result OF which il is
litiicult TO ioresee. IL is step in the
direction of socialism, a direction in
which we are travelling quite fast
enough. The increase OF our foreign
population from the Southern coun-
RES OF Europe intensifies the danger.
Again upon financial grounds saga
'ious legislators are much troubled II
: probable that we will have deficit
his year. The canal will take a large
mount of money and all our expenses
iit iaiG lut army taxes -FOUR times
IS much as it did half dozen years
go, and the navy. / think, six times
IS much, and that annual cost is grow
nc very rapidly. So, as stated be-
ore, The more sagacions persons look
lpon this measure with great fear. II
: evident that if we once start upon il
here will be no stopping. The South
I'm Democrats, as YOU know, have al
ways stood ont against the national
government interfering with matters
hat they claim belong to the state. but
when 1t comes TO a question Of money
0 be expended in their territory they
20 in unanimously for 1.-THE old fac
mi an appropriation
Hives are terrible torment to the little
olks, and TO some older ones. Easily
ured. Doan's Ointment never fails, In
tant relief permanent cure. At any drug
tore, so cents.
Ladies hair work. Mrs. II. II. BEAS
% Upham St., Melrose, Mass.
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