The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1910-04-06
UNCLE SAM Be ROAD BUILDER
SENATE PASSES BILL CARRYING
APPROPRIATION OF 100000.
The Government Takes Initial Step
Toward Aiding the States in
Great Work.

WASHINGTON, D. C.-When the
senate yesterday voted to appropri-
ate 100000 for the beginning of
highway construction in different
parts of the United States a step of
far-reaching importance was taken.
For many years members of congress
have been endeavoring in every way
to induce the government to come to
the assistance of the states in the
matter of constructing better roads,
but up to this time nothing has been
accomplished
Senator Bankhead of Alabama,
author of the bill which has just
passed the senate, after stating that
for every dollar appropriated by the
government a similar amount would
have to be expended by the counties
in which the work is to be done said:
''The last quarter of a century has
witnessed the awakening of the pub
lie to the necessity for better coun-
try roads. With the increase of pro-
duction has come a corresponding in
crease in transportation over the
country roads. The fallacy that the
greater our railroad mileage the less
our dependence upon the wagon
road has given place to a realiza-
tiOn that the greater the railroad
mileage the greater the movement
of freight on the common roads,
which are feeders to the railroads.
In France, by actual traffic census,
it has been found that the tonnage
over the wagon roads is one and a
half times as great as on the rail-
roads.
over the bad roads in the United
States a team in the worst hauling
season is able to transport on an
average only about 500 to 900 |
pounds, while in France every good
draft horse is expected to be able
to draw 1906 pounds a distance of
eighteen and half miles any day in
the year. 1t is this realization of the
financial burden of bad roads that
is largely responsible for the wide
spread public sentiment in favor of
definite and prompt action looking
to the betterment of the public roads.
Another potent factor in bringing
about this attitude of the public is
the growing tendency of The people
to concentrate in the great cities.
Already one-third of our population
is crowded together in cities, leaving
millions of acres of land unprOduc-
tive which otherwise might he add
ing to the national wealth and pros
perity, namely, the great cost of
hauling and the scarcity of labor in
the country are probably as much
responsible for the high cost of liv-
ing as any factors that could be
cited
Public sentiment has become or
gained and various commercial, ag-
ricultural and road associations
have specifically taken up the ques-
tion of improving the public roads
and have repeatedly called upon the
national government for some action
that will aid in bringing about the
result Since the establishment of
the rural free delivery service the
national government has become
more directly connected with the sub
ject of road Improvement. The APP
preparation for rural free delivery
amounted last year to $35 ,673, 900,
and it is evident, therefore, that the
question of economies in the eXpendi-
lures for rural free delivery is ma
terially affected by the conditions of
the roads over which the service OPP
crates. The necessity for action is
so apparent. the demand so univer-
sal and insistent, and the subject of
such vast Importance to the general
welfare of the country that recogni-
ton and endorsement has been given
in the national platforms of both
political parties in 1909, and we now
feel that the subject should, through
the bill now pending, be definitely
submitted for its consideration.
"While this bill, if enacted into
law, will, it is hoped, result in wide
spread and permanent reforms in
road administration and methods of
construction and maintenance and
also a certain mileage of adequately
improved road it's primary purpose is
to render more effective the rural