The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-01-21
TO BUILD
GOOD ROADS
Representative Kluttz, Of North
Carolina, Discusses National
Aid Legislation.
THE. TIME HAS COME G: TO ACT
Money Spent on Roads, EIc Says,
Will Benefit Both Cities and
Rural Communities.
THE TIME HAS COME TO ACT
{r'rom Our Regular Consequently

S~AA
WASHINGTON .. O., Jan. &.-Rcpre-
sentative Theodore +. Illuttz. OF North
Carolina, has made a special study of the
constitutionality OF the various measures
which have been introduced In Congress
looking toward national aid In the con-
struction OF wagon roads throughout the
country. It Is probable that when the
subject comes UP In the House, Mr..
Kluttz will discuss It at some length.
zone of the greatest needs Of this great
country Is good roads," said Mr.. Kluttz
this morning. "No argument can be need
ed to establish this proposition, because
It IS self evident. We may leglslate to
benefit our cities and towns by erecting
great public buildings; We may leglslate
to bring them traffic and commerce by
voting great appropriations for river and
harbor improvements, but = We fall short
Of building good roads to them We fail
In that which would be Of greatest bene-
it, Not only so, but we fail In our duty
to tho great rural population OF the
country as we'll. lis vain to build great
cities and network them with railroads
and canals, and Ito improve their rlvors
and harbors, unless We can give them the,
backing Of great tributary, rural ngri-
cultural population. A nation OF cities
would be an anomaly an 1mposslbil1ty--
a failure"
RELIEVE CONGESTION.
& Mr. Kluttz took up the question OF re-
lieving the congestion OF the cities ny
making farm life more pleasant and at
tractivc with a view to keeping more OF
the farmers boys and girls on the farm.
and Of attracting thereto jewellers IN the
cities. Good roads and better postal ia
cilitles would be great steps in this direc-t
ton, he said, and they were inter-
depende Mt, for without the roads the
rural free delivery service could not be
extended as fully as It should be- 1hr:
1<luttz pointed out that In the South the
white race had been burdened for forty
years with taxation for the benefit OF
both the white and black races. 1t had
been loaded with debt and left bankrupt
by the Civil War. Consequently It had
never been able to do, Of ITSELF what
should be done in the direction OF Inn
proving It's roads.
Appropriations for Internal improve,
nents-rivcrs, harbors, canals and public
highways. had been discussed he said
in the veto messages of various presl-
dents but while some Of the vetoes We're
sustained, others were not. IA study OF
these veto messages" he said, and the
legislation which revoked them. shows
conclusively that while the presidential
conscience has been opposed to appro-
priations for internal improvements, thu
legislative conscience has always been
in favor Of them. This policy then, being
settled now by the Executive, legislative
and judicial authority in favor of river
and harbor improvements. what reason
remains for objection to Federal appro-
priations for highways and post roads?
What constitutional objection can be
urged against them WHICH does not lie
/ equally against the other? The need Is
certainly at least as great, and the time
for action. 1t seems to me, has come"