Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-07-29

Niagara Falls July 29.-The Nation
| ton here. today listened to an addres:
| by Martin Dodge, in which the rela
ton Of good roads TO transportation
| rates was strongly presented Mr.
Dodge argued that the building O
good roads would not be burden OF
/ the taxpayer. but would tend to relieve
! burdens already carried.
Good Roads, Lower Freight.
/ NJ. Dodge said:
! Il desire 10 call attention to a fac;
not sufficiently understood, and tina,
! is that the local freight rates for the
short haul on the railroads are in many
cases but little less than the high rate
of transportation by animal power
Ii is we'll understood that the low rates
prevailing by water routes diminish the
railroad rates on the long haul more
than interstate laws of commission
1t should also be understood that a
suitable Improvement of our highway
system Will diminish the short haul
rate by more than half Reliable es-
Inmates in this respect show that $780,
100000 could be saved annually to the
people of the United States, by this
reduction.
"All plans and propositions hereto
fore advanced for the solution of this
great and difficult question have been
net in the first instance by the OBJ
lection that the promoters were seek
ing TO put burden upon the people.
Now Il should be understood that the
desire and purpose is not to put bur
Den on the people, but to remove at
least a part Of the burden already rest
ing upon them by reason of the ex-
cessive cost of transportation by ami
NAL power over the common roads
Nature has already put the burden
upon US, and We must remove It by
our own enterprise and cooperation.
1t is not matter for private enterprise
nor yet for local enterprise unaided by
the strong arm of the United States.
The composite nature OF our gov
eminent makes It difficult for us to
apportion the burden so that It shall
bear justly on all. but not too hardly
upon any. There are three great in
terests which ought to bear a portion
Of the cost of building and maintaining
public highways; the local interest,
the state interest, and the national
interest. If the cost of construction
should be divided equally between
these three, it would correspond to the
composite nature of our cover nment
and also would bear equitanly upon
the fra ncial resources of all the inter
ests concerned.
Government Should Aid.
'SThere IS sort of tradition of the
al M he eff no. &C.
how or other constitutional limitation
on the power Of the general government
70 expend money for the ilnprov ement
Of the highways. This was never so.
Millions upon millions are being ap-
propriated for these internal improve
ments except the highways which need
it most The people approve of these
expenditures. 1t should also be noted
in this connection that no executive
has vetoed any bill providing for in
ternal inprovem ents since General Ar
thur was president. and we need have
no apprehension as to further vetoes in
this respect.
1t is not proposed. however to re-
vive the policy which prevailed when
the national road was built, because
that involved a change of jurisdiction
from the state and local authority TO
the national authority. This is unde-
sirable, and would probably be in
equitable. But the proposition is to
extend the principle of state aid so as
to include national aid to the extent
Of one third, or possibly one-h half of
the cost of construction. AT the same
time we should leave the Jurisdiction
undisturbed as it is in the hands of
the state and the local authorities. The
aid given by the general government
should be of a contributory nature only
available. however, on condition that
the states or civil subdivisions therein
should contribuate their proportion The
local authorities should initiate all
proceedings The matter of construc-
ton and expenditure Of the money
should remain as now with the state
OF local authorities. and the supremacy
os the state In It's legal jurisdiction
should be upheld and remain"
RlISINESS CHANGE AT DUNLAP.