The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-02-17
THE GOOD ROADS BILL
BROWNIoW's MEASURE IS
 MUCH DISCUSSED.
At Fist 1t Was Made the subjec of Many Merry Jest, But :. , ,-s Now 1t is Taken seri- .
 .". ously.
Advertiser Bureau.
 Colorado Building,

, Advertiser Bureau, Colorado Building.
 Washington, Feb. IS. When Representative Brownlow last year introduced bill appropriating $2i.- ooo,o0o to be expended by the general gov ernnient in assisting the States to con struct good roads, his colleagues in ;he House made many merry tests at his eS- pense, and the measure was regarded as so ''paternalistic" as not to be taken se- ,riopsly, But with the majority of mem berg of the House the subject has ceased to provoke nnirth and laughter.
 Mention of the ,Brownlow bill often in- cites wrath, and Brownlow and his bill are roundly condemned and often con- signed to the 'table'' together.
 The explanation is simple: While prob ably less than 25 per cent. of the meni- 'bers of the House personally favor the Brownlow bill or any similar, measure, still a large majority have agricultural constituencies demanding the enactment of some such legislation. and which, if possible, it would be very advantageous if between now and the close of the ses- sion they could satisfy of their good in tentions toward the Brownlow bill with out directly committing themselves to lhe plan. The two years which have elapsed since the Brownlow bill was dropped irtto the House waste basket have been ,9 employed by the friends of the project.
 A systematic campaign of education has been conducted through the country press and on the stump; Good Roads Associations have been formed in every State and consolidated into national oy . ganization; national and State conven- tons have been held, and tons of liteia- 1tutr fhsstA Gt0ttGtt@0 have been supplied to the farmers show ing how much they are losing every year by reason of the bad roads; the met- chants and manufacturers of the smaller towns, whose welfare is closely allied with that of the farmers, have been aroused, with the result that interest in the general subject of good roads and In the movement for national aid has been stimulated to point never before known
 No movement looking toward national legislation has ever been handled better, nor has there been any to which tine people have been more responsive. Eve, y outgoing mail takes thousands of. docu- ments consigned to the four quarters of the country and every incoming mail brings floods of petitions, memorials and letters addressed to Senators and mem bers of the House, urging, and in many l6s
 Because of al lthis much apprehension has been aroused in the rank and file of the Republican Party in Congress be- cause of the growing belief that there will be trouble for them at the coming election If something is not done to sat- isfy their constituents in this regard. The problem IS not one of easy solution.
 A "do-nothing's policy is one which would be most satisfactory to the mem bers were :hey not in doubt as to its eff feet upon the agricultural vote. But while the seed of interest in this legis- lation was being sown throughout :he country, the political end was not over looked. and the idea was impressed up- on farmers that those members who did not favor the good roads movement were not true friends of theirs and therefore members should be elected who would work for 1t.
 As the days of this session slip by with out action on the part of either the House or Senate, the feeling, Is growing amone the farmers who desire this Legislation that Congress IS not in sympathy with their viewe. and 1t Is quite probable that this opinion is stimulated by those whc are backing the movement.
 The letters received on this subject bS members of the House and Senate indi cate that the farmers do not understand the inaction of Congress. and that a spirit of discontent and hostility Is permeatinG the agricultural districts against the He publican party in general, and in many cases against the individual member tC whom the letter is addressed, because oi the failure of Congress to respond to tho popular demand for good roads legisla' tion.' f #r.
 This restlessness of the rural voters il giving the Republicans much concern Tn the face of the avowed determination of the leaders to keep the appropriations down to the lowest possible limit, the old soldiers are clamoring for a service pen sion bill. the passage of which would en- tail an additional charge upon the United State Treasury of $60, 000, 900 per, year. The leaders. however. believe that the pen sion record of the country has been of such liberal character that they can at this time ignore these demands with com parative safety. The situation Is not the same with the Good Roads proposition for this Is the first time the farmers, of the country have ever asked Congress for an appropriation for their special bene- At, and the amount of money invglved is only &S,O0A000 a year for three years.
 Many of the Republican members feel that the excuse of economy" offered to their rural constituents for denying them an appropriation of $S,000.00o per annum for the next three years, will be receiv- ed with very bad grace. especially in view of the total expenditures for the maintenance of the Government which amount to nearly $500. .0O0,0o0 a year They fear that the farmers are likely to take the position that this economy might better have been exercised In some other directions. and so register their displeas- ure in the coming elections at the polls.
 Just what can be done in the direction of satisfying the farmers in. this respect Is a perplexing problem. The agricultural appropriation bill has passed the House and will be reportGI from the Senate Committee on Agriculturs this week, that committee having agreed upon the amendments which 1t will report. There was some incidental discussion of the Latimer good roads bill. which Senator Latimer hopes to have reported as all amendment 10 the hiil but that plan did not command sufIicient votes to carry ,:t through.
 It is So improbable that the Laumel bill would pass the Senate as an amend ment to the agricultural appropriation bill. in the absence of a favorable report from the Committee, that a further move