Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1904-11-11
ROAD IMPROVEMENT.
THE BUILDING OF HIGHWAYS ev
NATIoNAt9AlD.

Some Interesting Views of Repre-
sentative Men Who Are In Favor
Of This Plan For the Betterment
Of Public Highways.
The question Of road improvement in
the United States seems within the
past year to have resolved itself into
the question of national aid. When
any one is asked to say something on
the road question, he takes it for grant
cd that you want to know whether he
thinks the government should help
build the roads. Many leading men
have recently given their Endorsement
to this new idea, or rather old idea, for
It Is now nearly century since JEFF
ferson signed the first national aid bill.
Some Of these views are interesting. In
recent speech ex-senator Butler Of
South Carolina said:
"There is ample constitutional war
rant for the improvement Of the public
roads out of the United States treasu-
~, as large as there is for the improve
ment of rivers and harbors or for the
support Of the agricultural colleges. 1t
b an appropriation from which we
would all get benefit and to which we
would all contribute share. The COP
sttution Of the United States confecs
upon congress the right to establish
postoffices and postroads. Every high.
way is post route if the government
chooses to use it. Even in the days of
John c.. Calhoun he recommended the
distribution Of the surplus among the
several states. and it was done. think
the best thing for us to do is to 20 to
eur representatives and senators in
congress and say to them, The great
demand Of modern times is the i'm
provement Of the public highways, and
the federal government should COZ
tribute" q
Governor Montague Of Virginia is do
ing everything in his power to secure
state legislation for road improvement,
and he is also in favor of national
aid He says:
I'VE should nos, however, overlook
national aid. believe this in time will
come. The so called constitutional
barrier against national appropriation
must fall to the ground. The national
government has constructed public
highways unopposed by the strictest
eonstructionists Of the federal consti-
tuition. Moreover, if the national gov
srnment can appropriate money to
build harbors and to irrigate lands of
the states, how much greater is the
reason and the right for national aid
10 public highways, the primal and
abiding factors Of transportation, both
local and interstate''
Speaking on the same subject, Gen
sfal Nelson A. Miles says:
"The United States gover1unAsat has
appropriated $4sO,OOO,0O0 f,r rivers
and harbors during the last twenty
two years and only about SS,O00,O0O for
the improvement of the country roads
Now it appears to us that it is fitting
time to draw the attention not only Of
the people that are Immediately inter
ested, but Of your representatives both
In the United States and the state leg
islative bodies, because it is one of the
projects that are bound to contribute to
your welfare and happiness"
General FitZ-Hugh Lee, referring to
this subject, says:
IF you improve the roads, you begin
at the foundation Of prosperity for the
people. The government Of the United
States appropriates now large sum
every year cor military purposes. It
appropriates money for our mechanical
and agricultural colleges. Now, mas
much as good roads are the basis of
prosperity both in country and city,
why should not the government appro
pirate an adequate sum of money an.
nually for road improvements
Assistant Secretary Of Agriculture
Colonel J. H. Brigham recently ex-
pressed himself as favorable to ma.
donal aid. Among other things he
oaid:
II believe the general government
can help in this work of improving the
highways. l am one Of those who be-
ueve it is always right for the strong
arm of the government to be extended
W ACAP ACA pCOpAC LII every ScCl1Ou Va
the country. The government could
appropriate a certain sum to be supple
mented by appropriations from state
and county and then ask the locality
where the road is to be constructed to
contribute certain amount and bring
these funds all together. Then it would
not be burdensome upon any one, and
%H,o
and everywhere, and in a few short
years, without unduly burdening any.
body, without impoyerishing the ma.
ton or the state, we would see good
highways extending all over our land,
identifying the country, enriching the
people and adding to their intelligence
and happiness in many ways"
It,