Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-04-18

The CurrieF Good Roads Bill.
The National Grange, an organization
Of farmers in twenty-seven States, with
an aggregate membership of nearly one
million members, has for a number of
years advocated the enactment by Con-
gress Of legislation creating a National
Highways Commission, and making lib
eral appropriations for the improve
ment of the public roads. During the
past year the Grange has perfected
plans for conducting a widespread, sys-
tematic. educational campaign, for the
purpose Of showing the urgent neces-
sity for the adoption of broad, COM
prehensive policy of public highway I'M
provement by the various township,
county and State authorities, and to
induce the national government to lend
Its assistance to movement intended
to secure the establishment Of a COM
plete system of properly constructed
roads In all sections Of the country.
It Is contended by the members of
the Grange that the Improvement of
our highways Is as equally deserving
Of federal appropriations as is the i'm
provement Of our waterways and that
the work Of the, proposed National
Highways Commission would greatly
stimulate the construction Of better
roads by the various States, counties
and townships. The splendid road sys
tenn of France, admitted TO be the best
In the world, Is declared to be due
chiefly to the road policy Of the French
national government, under which
corps of highly trained engineers plan
and direct the work of constructing and
maintaining the principal roads of that
country.
The deplorable condition of most of
the roads In the United States, probably
the worst In any civilized country, Is
generally recognized, and 1t Is urged
by the Grange that 1t is high time that
action should be taken by the national
government to bring order out of the
existing chaotic conditions, and substi-
tute a scientific policy Of road con-
struction and improvement for the
haphazard methods which now prevail
to so large an extent.
The following resolutions unanimous
ly adopted by the National Grange give
the point of view from which the farm
ers regard the question Of Federal aid
to public road improvement:
Whereas, The improvement Of the
highways of the country is a matter of
general public concern, and should prop
erly receive the attention and assistance
Of the national government; and
Whereas, The revenue raised by
taxes paid by the people Of the country
as a whole should be devoted as far as
possible to purposes which will benefit
| the greater number Of the taxpayers
In all sections Of the country; and
Whereas, No argument can be adj
vanced In favor of the annual appro
priations by Congress on behalf Of river
and harbor Improvements that does not
apply even more strongly to the Inn
provement Of our public roads; there
| fore
Resolved, That the National Grange
favors a general policy of good roads
construction by the various municipali-
ties, counties and States, and
Resolved, That we favor the imme-
date enactment of legislation by Con-
gress making liberal federal appropria-
tions for the improvement Of the pub
lie highways of the country, these APP
preparations to be expenses in such
manner as Congress may prescribe.
House Bill 1887, introduced in Con-
gress on January 80, 1908, by Hon.
Frank D. oCurrier Of New Hampshire
embodies the views of the National
Grange on this subject. The members
Of the Grange and the farmers in gen.
eral In all sections Of the country are
vigorously demanding the enactment of
this bill, and 1t Is believed that it will
become law in the near future.
The enactment of this bill, It Is
claimed, will inaugurate a national
policy Of road construction and improve
ment which will ultimately result In
giving the entire country a system Of
permanent public highways, constructed
after the most scientific methods under
the joint supervision Of the National
| Highways Commission and the various
| township county and State authorities.
| The engineers and construction staff
Of the commission, and the apprOpria-
tlons made by Congress, will be avail
able for aiding in the Improvement of
any roads in every part of the country,
and the roads so improved will be Il
| constant inducement to each community
| r. cO-Onerate In making our road SyS-
| fem what the wealth and intelligence of
our people entitle us to have-the best
In the world
Educated While They Work.