The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1908-02-28
EARLE'S ROAD BILL.
How He Would Have the Govern
ment Improve Highways.
GANTS BUREAU ESTABLISHED.

ths Next congress-
One OF the most enthusiastic adyo,
Gates Of good roads in the United
States is Horatio \, Earle, the state
highway commissioner Of Michigan.
who has done so much 10 Improve the
roads Of the wolverine State. Mr.
Earle wants the government TO aid In
improving our highways, aud he has
drawn a national reward road bill,
which VIII be introduced In the next
congress by Congressman Charles Il.
Townsend. In an argument he made
for his bill recently MIR, Earle said:
Our educational advantages are far
ahead Of any other country, Our postal
service is fair, but not equal to that OF a
Few nations. However. We arc taking
steps every day to improve IL and have
made wundroua progress In tho past ten
years, our methods of transportation
Take the railroads. They ore the best tn
the world, They ought to he, We've dons
enough to make them good-frst built
them and then gave them way and paid
the takers large sums Of money every
year to keep them,
But our common. everyday wagon roads,
BY gum. they are by all odds the poorest
on the face OF this green oArth-~no other
civilized nation on The globe but has bet
ter than we. Why IL TT Ii It because we
are poor? A people that hna created and
huiided a nation In a day. with more mil.
lonaires than any other two countries
can claim. poor? We'll hardly. The trou-
BILE IN that we are 30 blamed rich that We
can live even with poor roads, 1t would
bankrupt a commonly blessed nation TO
haul the product OF held and factory over
such abominRbla roads.
What are Wa going to do about IT.
Knowing as we do that the nation has
paid out In land and money to railroads
and rivers u 4 harbers s2,000,A 900, 900 or
fi,00 per milo for every one of the
10000 miles OF public wagon road
there Is in this home lHnd Of ours, Isn't It
about time that we insisted upnn having
some national aid on cur highways that
tho road OF our country mny snow signs
OF civilizatlon~tnay show that our reli-
gion has taken effect and that we are
putting our education to q good uAe, bene-
ttlng our postal facilities and making It
easy for us to got to the church, TO
school, TO library, lodge, thaater, to mar
ket and, last. hut far from least, to our
neighbor's dinner table and sitting room2
This can DO brought about ali over the
United States only by national assistance.
No other country ever got good roads IN
any other way, Then why should there
be longer delay In following the preoe-
dent established by ali the nations that
have good roadaf ] am one OF a very
large majority Of the people Of this eonn-
try that demand national help,
Among other things Mr.. Earle's rond
bill calls for are the following:
To establish in the department OF agri-
culture a bureau to be known ms the Unit
ed States highway department and to pro-
vide for national reward for the improve
ment of the public wagon roads.
That the object and purpose Of said de-
partmant shall be To assist In and encour-
ago the improving OF the public wagon
roads In the various states and territories
of the United States by the payment OF
national reward, according to the provi-
sions OF his act; to make Investigations,
experiments and tests In regard to meth
DDS Of road making and road materials:
to furnish without charge 10 any state or
territory the result of any such inVegtiga-
ton, experiment or test upon request OF
the state or territorial highway commits
~sioner, state engineer or other officer or
officers having in charge the question OF
improving the public wagon roads OF such
state or territory; to give advice. infor-
nation and reports on the subject Of
roads, road improvement. road material
and 80 forth, by means of lectures, bulle-
tins or otherwise; to suggest from time to
time laws which, If enacted. would tend
TO bring about as far aa may be a uni
form system for the construction. repair
and improvement Of the public wagon
roads throughout the United States.
That an officer to be known as tho Unit
I'd States highway commissioner shall be
appointed by the president. by and with
the advice and consent OF the senate.
within fifteen days after this act shall
take effect. Such commissioner shall be
a citizen OF the United States and shall
have practical knowledge OF road con-
BtructiOn, improvement and repair. He
shall receive a salary OF 5000 per annum.
That whenever any state or territory
shall file notice with this United States
highway commissioner through the officer
or officers having in charge the matter Of
improving or aiding In the improving OF
the public wagon roads OF such state or
territory or the officers Of any two or
more states or territories shall do no
Jointly. stating that 1t In the intention Of
tho state or states, territory or territories,
to build a certain number Of miles OF road
such ns viii merit United States reward,
1t shall be the duty OF the United States
highway commissioned to furnish general
plans and specifications which, II follow
ed, NIL entltle the state or territory to
~NFf Nsf# ~ - vs. =" " tifp
length ana class Of road built.
That every mile Of well graded road on
which the steepcst incline shall not OK.
coed 9 per cent and the width Of which
shall not DO less than eighteen feet be-
tween side bitches and which ahai1 be
properly drained and crowned so AZ to
shed water quickly to the side bitches
and which shall have a wagon way or
travel track not less than twelve feet
wide made In two courses and thoroughly
IL built in accordance with
the plans and specifications Of the United
StAteB highway commissioner and approy-
ed by him, shall merit reward as follows:
II built Of gravel 500 per mile; II built
with one course OF approved stone and
one course of gravel. $50 per mile: II
m~acadamized, 1900 per mile. II the Unit
ed States highway commissioner shall by
investigation or experiment find that
some other material than those mention
ed In this section In equal TO them or any
one Of them, then he may prepare plans
and specifications for roads to be built OF
such material and shall place them in one
Of the CLASSES described In this section.
and such roads shall be entitled to receive
this reward Of the class to which they are
assigned by the said commissioner.
That the decision OF the United States
commissioner shall be final reia-
to whether the road Is built well
to merit United States reward or
not,
That there is hereby appropriated out OF
any moneys In the treasury not otherwise
appropriated for the purpose Of carrying
out the provisions Of this act the sum Of
tloo, 900 900. the said appropriation to be
at the rate OF 5000 900 a year.
beginning with the year In which this act
shall take effect. II any portion of the
900, 900 appropriated for any ono year
shall not be expended in the year for
It 10 appropriated, such portion not
expended shall be added TO the SO, 00o, 900
available In the year following.
nnu,f fail n ,nord St.