The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1904-05-20
THE BROWNLOW BILL.
Interests Of Government Well Guard
ed. Bat q Potent Incentive 10
Local Action.

One objection that has been urged
against the appropriation Of money by
.he government TO aid in road-buildinl
Is that the members Cf congress woulC
engage In such turmoil and unseemlJ
strifes as are now Witnessed in securinf
appropriations for rivers and harbors
This could not be the case under The
Brownlow bill. for II provides that NJ
state shall receive in aid of road con
struction out Of any money Gppropri
ated for that purpose a greater proper
ton OF the total amount appropriated
than It's population bears 10 the tota
population Of the United States. To Il
mstrate: If $50, coo, 900 should beappro
propriated. Massachusetts would r,ceivt
approximately. S735. 600: Alabama sf97
600; Tennessee, $52l.0OO; Michigan
1884, 900, and Maryland, $311,C0O.
However much work may be done bj
either Of these states, # could not re-
celye more than It's proportion Of tho
amount appropriated. Nor could an,
community in the several states com
plain OF another for trying to secure tht
premium offered by the government II
taking prompt and effective action IT
raising local funds TO meet the require.
ments of the government. II would b.
a contest. not between states, but be-
tween different counties Of the same
state, or between different subdivisions
OF townships, but the bill makes Il i'm
possible that there could be contests be.
tween the states themselves.
This bill is well guarded, also as Il
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 an,
state OF county or district to the direc
tor Of the bureau Of public roads for co.
operation In the construction Of a pub
lie highway. After the application 4
made with the required resolution Tho
director Of the bureau Of public road.
must have the route investigated 10 dc
termine whether such a proposed roaC
would be Of sufficient importance tt
receive national aid. II It should be ap
proved by the director upon investiga
ton then maps are to be prepared. plan
and specifications made, the width o
the road determined, together with az
estimate Of its cost.
A second application. with resolution
is then made by the local authorities an(
filed with the director, in which assur.
ance Is given that such road or a section
thereof shall be constructed ACCORDING
to the provisions Of the act. The di.
rector then %advertises for bids for thu
construction Of the road, and the con.
tract Is awarded to the lowest respon.
sible bidder, or It may be awarded 10 thu
state or county or subdivision. The di.
rector may then issue his warrant or
the treasurer OF the United States. bul
his warrant shall not be In excess Of s.
per cent. Of the work performed. and ir
all cases the government shall hold bac'
20 per cent. until the entire work has
been finished.
To anyone who will study closely III,
provisions OF the Brownlow bill It vii
be apparent that the interests Of tn
government have been well protected +
every particular. The value Of the bi.
Is the beneicent influence It will exeri
upon local action. Experience he
shown that something IS necessary r.
stimulate local effort In the matter Of
road building. The history Of the cor.
struction Of roads in all European coun-
tries shows that no good permanent FREE
roads have I've been built by local as
sessment OF taxation.