The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1904-04-21
NATIONAL. AID FOR ROADS.
Col Drownlow Il Sure That the Proc.
poets Of His Dst Measure Arc
Growing Brighter.

4Sk4u00OSVD
neer advocate of national aid to road
Improvement. has given to the press an
interview in which he discusses the
progress and prospects Of the good roads
movement. He says: fSs
The movement is making gigantic
strides. Judging from the, letters re-
ceive, nearly everybody in the United
States wants the government to aid IN
improving the roads. know from the
comments of the press. and the resolu-
tions adopted by state legislatures and
conventions in all parts Of the country
that national aid is making enormous
Roadway among the people. In re-
cent communication from w. H. Moore.
president Of the National Good Roads
association, he says:
Everywhere I go governors and Of
ficials and the great mass of common
people want the government to assist
them in building roads-not as q ques-
ton Of charity, but governmental duty.
Il have letter from Prof. ]. H.
Bruner, president OF Hiwassee college,
Tenn, in which he says:
Millions have gone for the improve
ment Of harbors and rivers, and millions
more will go for canals. But the good
work should not stop there. Good roads
are needed to get the products of the
country to the railways, the rivers, the
cities, the outside world. Rural routes
for the postal department need improve
ment.
"'I am entering my eightieth year
No enterprise Of equal Importance to
this good roads movement has come be-
fore the American people in my day
There is blessing in it for everybody
in town and country"
But don't you think, colonel" asked
friend, that the proposal to spend such
large sum along an entirely new line
of national expenditure will prove start
ling when the people take sober second
thought" ~
THAT the proposition Is q new one II
one sense, l concede. The Idea OF appro'
priating government funds to be spen,
in the rural districts for the direct ben
eft of the country people is decidedly
| AOWs 11c1 CSO1OACs lAO ~ AuClpoA ASASs
ton which the farmers have sustained
toward the government is that of tax
payers. But think it is. about tim,
for that to. come to an end, and, II ]
am not, mistaken, the farmers are com
ing to the same conclusion.
Gas to the size of the appropriation
want to say that think it is very
small when compared with the sums "
are appropriating for other purposes
This is period Of profound peace; We
we are proposing to vote ST ,000, 900 70
the army and SOC, 100000 for the nav.
to be expended in single year. Ny Bill
proposes an appropriation OF only 81.
100000, to be spent in three years, o
$1,000 900 year, just one.twelfth 9
what we propose to spend on our navz
Nobody was particularly startled Ian
year when we appropriated over SO. 900.
900 for river and harbor improvement,
I don't think the tax-paying farmer
Twill be very badly scared ut an appro
Il priation Of $S.000,0 900 to help them bull
good roads. Besides, they know the
will have to pay just as much Ia
whether they get any Of it back or not
"You can say that, on the whole. ! an
well satisfied with the progress we hav
made, and that firmly believe fedora
cooperation with the states in buildin
roads is coming, and coming soon."