The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1904-01-14
lattimer Makes forct
BE Speech.
WANTS TO USE The SURPLUS
His Bill Proposes the Appropriation Of
s24,ooo,ooo to Improve
Highways.

WASHINGTON. Jan: 14.-Lattimer
Of South Carolina made speech in the
senate today in advocacy of his bill
creating a bureau of highways and
carrying an appropriation of $4,000
900. He said this amount would be
divided equally among the states and
territories according to population. the
minimum allotment being s250,OO0 to
any state having less than 100000 in
habitants. 1t is further provided that
any state or territory receiving such
benefit must contribute dollar for dol
lar from its own treasury. The senator
placed the surplus in the government
treasury at s266. 900, 900. which he de-
declared it wrong thus to hoard the
peoples money as it is not necessary
to meet the public debt before 1907
and current expenses are provided for.
He contended that better roads are a
national necessity and therefore q
proper object for national aid. AS the
rivers and harbors are improved so
should be the highways. He declared
the average cost of transportation per
ton on one mile of dirt road in AM
erica is % cents, while in Europe.
where roads are improved. it Is 10
;oI hot ha
is liza BILE to be bankrupted by the pro-
ject. He said that s5O0.000,O00 would
put all the main roads in good condi-
ton and require from the government
but $50, ,0OO.O per year for ten years.
In the opinion of officials Of the de-
partment of agriculture, the day is not
far distant when the federal govern
ment will take up the improvement Of
country roads, just as it has taken up
the question of rural free delivery. The
excuse for this will be the expeditng
Of the mails, and thus in an import
ant sense rural free delivery is to help
IOTNdIu tIlt SoOu WI SCI oii i'OS "
wheelmen and automObilists.
A favOrite plan is to have the gov
ernment make an appropriation for a
certain state, to be balanced by an
equal amount provided by the legisla-
ture and by the board of commission
ers in the county where the work is to
De done. A few object lessons Of this
sort it is believed will do more to
the impression on the mind
Of the average farmer that it is to his
interest to have better means of COM
munication with his neighbors and
with the towns near him.
From the Alleghenies to the Missis-
sippi, country roads in many counties
are in a condition that almost reaches
perfection. The farmers there have
been educated to understand that good
roads will help them get to market.
A farmer living ten miles from his
county seat in the middle west. and
reckoning the distance by the time IL
takes to drive it, is able under the I'M
proving highway conditions to reach
town in almost half the time that was
formerly consumed. The practlcaf
value of this change he is not long TN
seeing.
Several good roads bills have al
ready appeared in the present con-
yress. One has been introduced by Mr.
Hay Of Virginia, and provides for an
of $4,000 for the
,ompletion of the Jefferson memorial
road from Charlottes-
ville to Monticello, three miles. TINS
bill is. of course, local in character
Another bill has been introduced oy
senator GaIlinger Of New Hampshire
I provides for the creation in the de-
,artment of agriculture Of good road6