The Lexington advertiser., 1904-05-05
NATIONAL AID FOR ROADS.
Col. Brownlow Is Sure That the Pros
poets of His Pet Measure Are
Growing Brighter.

Col. Brownlow, OF Tennessee, the pio-
neer advocate of national cid 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: s:-....-----..
THE movement is making gigantic
strides. Judging from the letters re-
ceive, nearly everybody in the United
Estates wants the government to aid in
| Improving the roads. l 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
headway among the people. In re-
cent communication from w. II. Moore,
president of the National Good Roads
association, he says:
Everywhere go governors and Of
ficials and the great mass of common
people want the government to assist
them In building roads-not as ques-
ton of charity, but governmental duty
Il have letter from Prof. J. H.
Bruner, president of Hiwassee college,
Tenn, in which he says:
T" 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. . ..... ..... ..4 .-e
II 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
a 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 a new one in
one sense, | concede. The idea of appro-
government funds to be spent
in the rural districts for the direct BEN
eft of the country people is decidedly
new. Heretofore, the principal rela-
tion which the farmers have sustained
toward the government is that of tax
payers. But think 1t is about time
for that to come to an end, and, If l
am not mistaken, the farmers are conf
ing to the same conclusion.
"As to the size of the appropriation,
want to say that I think 1t is very
small when compared with the sums we
are appropriating for other purposes.
This is a period of profound peace; yet
we are proposing to vote $77,000,OOO for
the army and 96,00O,000 for the navy
to be expended in single year. My bill
proposes an appropriation of only $24,-
O0O000 to be spent in three years, or
$4,000 900 a year, just one-twelfth Of
what we propose to spend on our navy.
Nobody was particularly startled last
yearwhen we appropriated over $40 ,OOO.-
300 for river and harbor improvement.
don't think the tax-paying farmers
will be very badly scared at an appro-
priation of $SOOOOOo to help them build
good roads. Besides, they know they
will have to pay Just as much tax
they get any of It back or not.
"You can say that, on the whole, am
well satisfied with the progress we have
made, and that firmly believe federal
cooperation with the states In building
roads is coming, and coming soon"