Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1904-01-29
The BROWNLOW
ROAD BILL.

name IL pears ana BIDS falf TO make
immemorable, and is now pending.
provides for the appropriation OF
$24, 900, 600, as National Aid for the
building OF Wagon Roads, as well as
the creation in the Department of
Agriculture, Bureau of Public
Roads, the director, assistant, clerks,
superintendent. civil engineers, ex
pcrts and other employees of which
are classed for salaries according to
their rank, payable out of the Treas
ury, their duties of course being TO
see to the expenditure of this vast
sum in the best way for the general
good. The appropriation is to BE-
prorated among the States upon the
population basis, under which distri-
button Mississippi would get approx
imately $3.50, 600. Only one third
can be expended per annum, and is
not available to the states until they
have set aside an equal amount for
the same purpose. The Bill is so con-
structed rs To admit of the states
providing for their counties and
towns as well as individual benifici-
aries 10 assist in contributing to
raise this rebuttal fund. but no state,
county, town or precinct will be for
ced to build new roads under the
operations of this law, 1t being en-
tirely optional with them, az no in
references with their rights or priv
ilcges, or the s;.ddling of new bur-
dens against will is contemplated by
this great aud wise measure; in case
of such refusal, after the stated
length of time, the sum would revert
to the general fund and be- pro-rated
again amongst those accepting,
The supreme idea of the Bill is to
get several hundred miles of good
roads built i'm each state to show the
whole country what wonderful adj
vantage there will be in good hard
roads which neither frost, rain nor
other devastating influences will
affect. This would act as a wonder
full object lesson.
Once get the country united en-
listed, and the vast army of experts
| into harness and training, results
wonderful to behold would grow un-
/, der American persistcncy. Our
nation can already boast more rail
road mileage than the combined
world; unlimber her machination of
talent, skill and ingenuity for the
perfection of Roadways and we would
startle the world with productions
far excelling the famous Appian Way
of the. Roman Empire, the Incas Stu
pendious Triumphal Mountain Wavs
of Peru, the Celebrated Way ON top
of the Chinese Walk and stand out
for emulation for ages.
The undertaking has generally
been deemed too stupendious one
for town, county and state, even in
concert to attempt, except where
| tremendous amour, of wealth has
congcsted, New York and Phil:ldcl-
phia for example; great many miles
1T q heavy expense b,ilt out and
around these great cities has success
fully demonstrated what can be done.
when money and determination. are
put behind the movement.
Considered in bread and umpire
JUDGED sense, what better account
than this to turn some of the sur
plus continuously flowing into the
National Treasury, and which taxes
our wise heads sorely to keep fronl
getting too large? BY this method
the farmer, than whom we have no
better citizen, and who has con
fessedly received less favors at the
hands of the central government
than any other class is. allowed 10
participate in some OF tho governor
tai expenditures. Vast sums have
been laid out for years in Harbor
and River improvements. the cree.
ton of great public buildings as the
pOst-Oiliccs and court-houses in the
great cities, the payment of war vet
Grams pensions, while it has loaned
its credit and donated millions OF
acres of land to build railways. Still
the afgrarian has been left with no
avenues to convey his products
cheaply to the marts of trade which
have been opened up along the lines
of these public conyeyors. The cry
Of economy can not he raised to ex-
cuse and impede further delay. AT
the close of the Civil war the nation
al bonded debt was nearly three bill
lions dollars. white it does not quite
reach the billion mark now; in thu.
United States Treasury there is now
locked up idle about $25O, 900. 900.
sith revenues pouring in from ali |
sides far in excess of expense of run
ming the government. World it In
right to the present generation and |
posterity to withhold longer the mu- |
nifirent and tantalnonnt benefits We
could now with perfect financial pre-
priety derive from the Nation
Treasure stores. While we wait, this
same money is disseminated through |
out the land for circulation by til,