The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-01-31
FOR IMPROVED ROADS
NATIONAL AID HIGHWAY BET-
 TERMENT ADVOCATED.
Number of, Representatives An nounce Themselves in FavCr of Government Helping States and Counties in Improv-
 ing Thoroughfares.
ADVERTISER BUREAU.

Colorado Building,
 Washington. Jan. 90.
 When the proposition was advanced some years ago that the United States Government should share the cost of constructing good roads throughout the country with the States and counties, 1t was generally regarded as ab- surd.
 But since its inception the movement has grown and gs:hered strength until all parts of the country are united in demanding that Congress shall extend the same aid to the inn provement of the roads that is given to the improvement of rivers and harbors. That the bills which are now pending in the Commt- tees on Agriculture of the House and Senate will receive support from Republicans and Democrats alike is indicated by the following expressions:
 "r have not given critical examination to the different bills which have been introduced, one by Representative Brownlow and another by Senator Latimer of South Carolina, and perhaps other bills" said Representative Rixey of Virginia. but am in favor of the general proposition of national aid to the States and counties in the buicng of important roads and expect to support the proposition looking to that end. I believe that the farming com munities would in this way derive more benefit than from any other way in which appropria- tions could be applied With the exception or the postal facilities 1t is probable that the agricultural classes receive less benefit fin pro- portion to the taxes paid that any other class of the people
 The making and improvement Of the i'm portant highways will require an expenditure of money which. think, is beyond the ability of the local communities to bear, and for that reason favor State aid and national aid"
 Representative Thayer of Massachusetts Is Tn favor of Government aid for highway im- provements. but thinks that the amount con- templated to be expended is too high, and that the experiment should be tried with much less amount of money. Later the appropria- tfons could be increased as the experience jus tified. He spoke of the improvement Of the roads in Massachusetts and said they were the best roads in the country. In this work the State had aided the various communities. "There is nothing that will show the civiliza- tion of this country any better than the in- provement of the highways" he said. After We entered upon the improvement Of the roads with State aid. it marked an advancement that has ben hardly equaled in any form in any State of the country.
 Representative Curtis of Kansas said: II think that the Government can't do too much toward assisting the various States in having the very best roads and I think the Congress- men and leading citizens of the State should take an interest in the matter and do all they can to have the very best roads possible in each community. I have been reading very carefully the proceedings of the Good Roads Association and was well pleased with the splendid advancement that it has made. think that Congress should take the matter up and give the bills that are now pending before it very careful consideration"
 T am in favor of the general idea of the Good Roads bills that have been introduced in Congress-" said Representative Griffith of In- diana. Ever since I have been in Congress we have been spending vast sums of money for the people of Porto Rico, Cuba, the Philip pines and Hawaii, and I am very anxious to see some money appropriated here at home where the direct benefits will be given to our own people. I see reason why the idea Is not practicable and it might be considered as akin to the, rural free mail system"
 Representative Taylor of Alabama said: "I am in favor Of national aid tn good roads. l regard the good roads improvement as of equal importance with the river and harbor improve ments. Transportation is in my judgment an exceedingly important factor in our civiliza- tion and good roads is one of the chief factors in farm transportation. My opinion \ the cost of production can be reduced at fedst 9 per cent, probably s 1-S per cent. by i'm provement in the road systems of the country. I think therc should be at least a system of roads that will connect the courthouses of every city in the State where travel can be had easily and rapidly without the necessity for steam and rail.''
 Representative Bartholdt of Missouri: While I am thoroughly in favor of the National Gov ernment going to the constitutional limit in aiding the construction of good roads all over the country, also see in this proposition for good roads a timely chance, and. in fact, the only means to solve the vexed question of prison labor The goods manufactured in the prisons of the country are now a menace to free labor for the reason that the latter can not compete with convicts and therefore it is my deliberate judgment that should no longer turn prisons into factories, but employ our convicts all over the country in the max- ing and improving of our highways and roads '' Representative Gardner of Michigan: 1T have not much to say about the proposition, further than that I am in favor of any reason able appropriation for good roads,"
 Mir. Shafroth of Colorado said: ''I am in favor of the proposition for good roads. I do not think I can say anything more than that the spending of money in the construction of good roads is a most judicious expenditure.'
 R. II. WATKINS.