The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1905-01-04

O q States seems within the
n past year to have resolved
ECNr itself into the question Of
national aid. When any one is asked
to say something on the road question
he takes 1t for granted that you want
to know whether he thinks the Govern
ment 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
a century since Jefferson signed lie
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 Treas
ury-a large as there is for the I'M
provement of rivers and harbors OF for
the support of the agricultural colleges
1t is an appropriation from which we
would all get benefit and to which we
would all contribute share The Con
stitutlon of the United States confers
upon Congress the right TO establish
postofices and post-roads. Every
highway is a post route if the Govern
ment chooses to use it. Even in the
days of John G. Calhoun, he recon-
mended the distribution of the surplus
among the several States. and it was
done. think the best thing for us to
do is to go to our Representatives and
Senators in Congress and say to them:
The great demand of modern times is
the improvement of the public high
ways, and the Federal Government
should contribute
Governor Montague, of Virginia, is
doing everything In his power TO secure
State legislation for road Improvement.
and he is also in favor of national aid.
He says:
1--WE should not, however, overlook
national aid | believe this in time will
come. The so-called constitutional bar
rier against national appropriation
must fall to the ground. The National
Government has constructed public
highways unopposed by the strictest
consuuctionist of the Federal Consti-
tuition. Moreover, if the National Gov
ernment 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 |
TO public highways, the primal and |
abiding factors of transportation, both |
local and Interstate
Speaking on the same subject, Gen
eral Nelson A. Miles says:
"The United States Government has
appropriated $4S0,OO0,0O0 for rivers and
harbors during the last twenty-five
years, and only about SS,000,000 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 in
terested. but of your representatives,
both in the United States and the State
legislative bodies, because 1t is one of
the projects that is bound to contribute
to your welfare and happiness"
General Fitzhugh 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 Unipd
States appropriates now d large sum
every year for military purposes. 1t
ippropriates money for our mechanical
Ind agricultural colleges. Now, inas-
much as good roads are the basis Of
both in country and city,
Why should not the Government appro-
)riate an adequate sum OF money an
iually for road improvement
Assistant Secretary of Agriculture
Colonel j. Il. Brigham recently ex-
pressed himself as favorable TO ma
ional aid. Among other things he
aid:
Il believe the General Government
an help in this work of improving
he highways. l am one of those who
elieve It is always right for the strong
rm of the Government to be extended
0 help her people in every section Of
his country. The Government could
ppropriate a certain sum. to be sup
lemented by appropriations from
tate and county, and then ask the q
1cality where the road is to be con- |
.ructed to contribute certain amount, /
nd bring these funds all together. I
hen 1t would not be burdensome up
n any one, and the work would be j
tarted here, there and everywhere. /
nd in few short years without I'M $
uly burdening anybody, without i'm v
oyerlshing the nation or the State, we +
-ould see good highways extending all
YER our land, beautifying the country, Il
the people, and adding to n
ier intelligence and happiness in p
lany ways" fl
Good Roads and Automobiles.
Recently, In q county in central Penn