The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-06-14

Rural Delivery Routes.


Rural Delivery Routes.
Mr.. Bankhead. Mr.. President,
ask to have read the amendment
which offered to the post-ofice ap-
preparation bill.
The Vice-President. Without OBJ
lection, the Secretary will read the
amendment submitted by the Sena-
tor from Alabama.
The Secretary read as follows:
Amendment intended TO be proposed by
Mr.: Bankheae TO the bill Oh r. ISS47)
the Postoffice Department for the fiscal
year ending June 30. 1909, and for other
purposes, viz: At the end of line IA, page
%, insert the following.
Provided further, That a sum not to
exceed 100000 of this appropriation may
Pc expended by the Postmaster General.
In cooperation with the Secretary OF
Agriculture. in improving the conditions
of the roads over which rural delivery
routes are, or may be hereafter estab-
lished, to be selected by them for the
purpose of ascertaining the possible in
served by one carrier, and the possible
tnrease of the number of delivery days
each year, the amount required for prop
er maintenance in excess OF local eNpendi-
ture for rural delivery routes. and the
relative saving to the Government in the
maintenance Of rural delivery routes by
further, That the State or county, or
counties. which may be selected for i'm
d
In under this provision shall furnish an
equal amount of money for the improve
ment OF the rural route selected"
Mr.. Bankhead. i ask the Secretary
TO read the resolution passed by the
House of Representatives March IA,
1918, copy of which l send to the
desk
The Vice-President Without OBJ
lection, the Secretary will read as re-
quested
The Secretary read as follows:
Resolved, That Congress has power I'M
money for the construction of postroads.
military and other roads, and of canals,
and for the Improvement of waterways.
Passed by House of Representatives
The time has arrived when Con-
gress must meet the great question
of national road improvement fairly
and squarely and give it that thought
full and serious consideration which it
deserves The farmers are being
aroused, and already the National
Grange, with a membership of more
than million farmers, is calling up
on us for action in this matter. An
other great organization, the Farm
ers' Educational and Cooperative
Union of America. is urging legis-
1ation in the same direction. Mr..
President the hordes of southern Eu-
rope and the menace of alien races
NAV cast their sinister shadows over
our great cities, but, sir, that great,
silent, patient element of our popula-
ton, the American farmer, is Ameri-
can through and through. The very
citadel of American liberty and its
most cherished traditions are guarded
by the farmers, who are 81 per cent
native born and constitute more than
one-third of our population.
But it is not only the rural popula-
ton that demands aid from the Gov
eminent in the upbuilding of our pub
lie roads. The numerous resolutions
of the boards of trade, chambers of
commerce, associations of manufac-
turers, and the open advocacy OF
many of our great railroad companies,
indicate clearly that it only needs an
organization. of all these forces to
bring about the united and effective
efforts of city and country. Modern
inventive genius is responsible for a |
new factor in the problem of transpor-
tation, which must be reckoned with |
in legislating for public roads. The
automobile industry has now reached !
TO S110, 5000 per annum, and the |
makers and users of automobiles will |
soon find a plane upon which they |
can mutually press forward with the |
farmer in his efforts to obtain better |
roads. The time will come, during |
the lifetime of Senators who do me |
the honor to listen, when the traction |
engine and the automobile will be |
utilized on the improved dirt road in |
hauling to the market farm and for |
est products at a minimum cost, sup |
plying the place of millions of horses |
and mules now employed in transpor-
tation.
Mr.. President. it is sufficient to call |
attention to resolutions passed by |
the legislatures of Maine, Tennessee.
Missouri. Nebraska, New
York. and other States, with refer
ence 10 national aid. TO show how
widespread is the sentiment among
our State legislatures upon this sub
ject. When all these powers aud fac
tors unite their efforts there will be |
such an era of internal improv ement. i
of home building. of home identifying. |
Of wealth creation, that the waste |
places will be filled, squalid huts will |
give place to beautiful homes, the 1
desert will blossom as the rose, and
all the shocks and crashes of fren-
zied finance will fall harmless from
the bulwarks of our splendid pros
perity.
The objection is made that such
legislation would be unconstitutional
fortunately, for our guidance. the |
question of national aid is not a new
one We have the precedent of ma
uonal-aid legislation by Congress
while the founders of our Government