Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1908-10-15

AOluS a. .-.. g..
The per ga t'ebt Of Germany, -.
cOrding to the Chicago Daily News al
manac and Year Book for 1908 is $40;
England, SSS.S3; Italy. $50: Spain, sos;
France, $144, and the United States,
SILL. The amount of annual inter
est charge to be met by citizen of
Germany is 50: France, $6.05; England,
$3.41: United States. 20 cents.
The panic of 1907 was occasioned
largely by the enormous demand for
currency ''to move the crops" Why
Eeel the crops be moved with such
haste and at such great inconvenience
to the railways and 50 completely
drail the cities of money rs to cause
Il panic and the loss of many millions?
The farmer knew the winter ana bad
road season was approaching and that
if he didn't get his crops off before
the roads broke up he didn't know
how long the embargo Of hNl roads
would prevent him from doing 50.
Another factor was the insufficient
amount of government bonds to SC,vc
as the basis of national bank circula-
ton. AS no bonds were available the
banks could not increase their circula
ton. as they would have been glad
to do and which would have immcdi
atey relieved the financial strain. The
country needs good roads. and it needs
Il larger debt strange rs that may
sound). Out OF this dilemma the way
IL easy.
If the federal government was to
issue rs needed $400.0O0.000 of per
cent thirty to fifty year bonds to aid
in road building it would carry the ma
tional debt up from Sill to $l5.55
and the interest charge from 20 to 80
cents per capita. The debt per capita
then would be almost exactly where it
was ten years ago.
1t would require $S.O00.000 Il year to
pay the interest on the bonds. but ev-
cry dollar of it would be saved upon
the one item of rural delivery
OF the 100000 miles of highways
about 100000 miles are post roads, and
about 100000 of these are unimproved.
The $4OOOOO.OOO for national aid
would give about 5000 Il mile. or about
% per cent of the average cost of
building hard roads upon these high
ways.
After ten years Of study of road
building at home and abroad the writer
has reached the following definite con-
illusions:
First - That If we are to have good
roads within a generation the federal
government must assist in building them.
Sccond.-That the government contribu
ton be pro rated among the states rs
the work is done on the basis of onc-half
the gross sum upon the full road mileage
of the state and onc-haf upon the basis
OF population The plan works out fairly
to all the states. This plan would make
available out of Si00 0oO, 0o) approximately
$-5.oO0000 for New York. $Gi,0oo000 for
Pennsylvania. So 000000 for Illinois. SIS
100000 for Ohio Sl3,GO0000 for Michigan.
etc
Third.-That the actual construction of
the roads should be done under state SUI
pcrvision upon specifications approved by
the United States government engineers.
Fourth.-That the initiative should be
left with the respective townships. road
districts or parishes. these to furnish at
least one-third of the total cost, with the
state clothed with power to veto any i'm
provement If of insufficient Importance.
This power would probably be seldom If
ever used 1t may be assumed if the road
was not a main highway and needed the
people of a township would not vote to
build it when they had to raise at least
onc-th third of the money required to do so.
Fifth.-That if this country is to fulfill
it's high destiny and meet the require
ments placed upon it by it's wealth. posi-
ton and its opportunity good roads are a
mi Pc mr. n them
speedily requires both federal and state
aid to hearten the people to undertake
this great work. Good roads will do more
for the educational. social and economic
development of the whole country than
any other single agency.