The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-02-01

it is sitfed through the hands Of the
founders Of the dispensary, the army
Of officeholders, commissioners, board
Of control, dispensers, rebaters, con-
stables, laborers, amounts paid for
bottles, jugs, labels, barrels, kegs,
demurrage, breakage, etc, etc, very
insignificant amount reaches the tax
payers. ..,
If the one-fifth, of this enormous
disbursement to buy whiskey had
been appropriated for the benefit Of
common schools and the establish
ment and maintenance of mounted
rural police we would all have deriv-
ed benefit and escaped the carnival Of
corruption that has brought SO much
disgrace upon the state. However that
may be, provision for a mounted po-
lice for the country would compensate
somewhat for the shortcomings of the
dispensary administration. Abolish
+ it, wipe it off the statute books and
allow each county to settle the
whiskey question for itself.
National Aid for Road Building.
Now, if I have not worn you out
with the foregoing, and taken up too
much "of your valuable space" par
don word on the road question:
First and foremost, insist that con-
gress has rs clear constitutional
power to appropriate money for the
improvement Of public highways as
for the Improvement Of rivers and
harbors. 1t is quite true that the
Federal Government has, I believe,
exclusive jurisdiction over harbors
and navigable streams, and conse-
quently the right and power to ap-
propriate money for their improye
ment. AS matter of fact, the Federal
Government has already expended
over $400, 100000 for rivers and har-
bors.
go a step further and say that
lcongress has much clearer right
to appropriate money for the i'm
provement Of public highways than
for state agricultural colleges and eX-
perimental stations, etc.
Amongst enumerated powers dele
gated by the constitution to congress,
Article l, Section 8, is the power "to
abolish postoffices and postroads. "
It would seem to be a fair implica-
ton. from the expressed power "to
establish' that congress has the right
to aid, at least, in maintining public
highways. There is not public
highway in any state i'll the United
States over which, the Federal Gov
ernment may not send its mails OF
march its troops.
In the early part Of the last cen
tury congress did appropriate money
for the construction and maintenance
Of a national turnpike from Mary
land westward and did expend, rs I
now remember, about seven millions
of dollars on the work. Mr.. Calhoun
voted for the appropriation.
Monroe Vetoed Bill.
1t was ultimately vetoed by Presi-
dent Monroe, and in that way defeat
ed. In his celeb1 lated message he
took the ground, among others, that
if the National Government entered
upon the construction Of turnpiles
or public highways in the United
States it would have to maintain and
police them, and in doing so come
in conflict with the "police powers -
Of the states. This position, in that
aspect Of the question, was we'll tax
Ell and would have been sufficient in
itself to have defeated the appropri-
alton. Of course, President Monroe
gave other reasons for his veto. AS [
understand the present proposition,
it does not contemplate asking con-
gress to appropriate money to be us
ed by the Nationl Government, to
build highways in the states, on its
own account, but that it shall aid
the states, the states exercising cor
troll over them.
This is precisely what was done in
the Morrill-Hatch bills. A certain
sum was appropriated annually from
the proceeds Of the sales of public
lands and placed in the hands of the
secretary Of the interior, not to be
paid out by him until satisfied that
the states had complied with the re-
duirements of the Federal statute as
condition precedent to their receiv-
ing the money.
The states did comply and the ap-