The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-11-18
rHE rIOHMoND NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. vovEMBER

NON OF uV0 NaOmU08Up % W 4pP0tntSu
by the president, ana 20 receive $500
Z year, with principal odices In WASH
ihgton, The modest sum OF 100000
eco u to b appropriated, ons-tenth
u It to become available annually.
TO be expended In permanent road
construction work. The money Is to
be apportioned among the States that
provide for the expenditure OF an
equal sum out Of their own treasures.
IN the ratio the mileage OF approx
ed national roads in a specific State
bears to the total mileage Of such
roads in all States. The national
commission - to designate the roads
which are to constitute the system
Of national roads. but not more than
one road running In each general
direction-that is, north and south.
east and west---in each State or ter
ritory shall be selected, and such roac
are TO be chosen with view TO con-
Meeting with similar roads In adjoin-
inr States 10 form q continuou system
Of national roads
Measures Similar In Provisions.
Bills introduced by Representatives
Cox, OF Indiana, and Campbell, OF
Kansas, proposed similar plan, ex-
cept that only $3O,e00,00O in one
case and $24.ooo.o0o in the other is
intended to be appropriated, and the
commission 70 BE- in charge Is to have
thrae members and to be q part OF
the department Of agriculture al
bureau OF public Highways"
4 feature Of q measure along the
same general lines, but much NOR
specific In it, terms. put In by Re
resentative Linthicum. Of Marylar
10 the provision for Federal regis
s&ration and licensing OF automobiles
that use the roads Of several states.
When licenses are issued to operators
OF automobiles by the Federal bu-
reau they are to contain the photo
graphs Of the licensee and . general
description OF him. In case OF acci-
dents the drivers Of automobiles tnat
are federally registered are to be conf
| PEELED to stop and furnish their names
and addresses to the persons inJursa'
| or to any one else on the scene. Ine
erpenditure OF 325.Oo0.0e0 In three
years Tor road Improvement ana con-
structicn. after a similar contribution
| from the several States, - contem-
| plated.
Represntatiy Flood, Of Virginia
| and Adamson OF Georgia, propose that
/ the annual surplus In the feaefa'
| treasury shall be devoted to the I'm :
| proyement and construction OF post
| roads In the several States. BINS
| which they have introduced specify
! that at the Close OF each fiscal year
| the secretary OF the treasury snail
| compute the funds In the treasury. de-
/ anct the amount required to be kept in
| the treasury. and declare the remain
| der surplus. This, to an amount not
| exceeding sso.0oo,ooo per year In Mr..
| Adamsor's view, and not exceeding
| t25. 900 600 In Mr.. Floods view, shall
| be divided among the States on per
| capita basis--except that Mr. Adam
| son excludes persons in cities over 80.
600 population--to be used ON the
! roads.
i Senator swansen's Project.
/ Senator Swanson. who made res
cord a. Governor OF virginia on his
good roads work, has proposed to Con.
grese that Uncle Sam use 100000. 0oe
for the improven Mt OF post roads and
rural delivery routes. States thai
will put up money equal in amount
to that spent by the federal gov
eminent In their jurisdictions are to
apply to the director OF Office of pub
lie roads Of the Department Of Agri-
culture. stating that the roads to be
livery routes: that they are main
travelled highways. and that their i'm.
provement would be great oenent e
the State, and that the State Will pay
its half toward the improvements
II the federal enicials find the facts Il
be as stated. he and the proper Stass
officials are to go ahead with the
| work An appropriation OF 100000
eco. Senator swanson proposes. shall
be made to carry out this project. Rep
resentatives Austin, OF Tennessee. and
/ f3nhupe1 nf 1ah m In
troduced bills Of similar import.
Senator Bankhead. OF Alabama, Il
ono OF those who believes that II I'm
Gle Sam will only try the plan o,
using federal funds for road better
snent he wiK become convinced that
1t In q good business proposition and
will adopt such q policy. So he pro-
poses that 100000 shall be used IL
making experiments. but the expert
ties and States which are willing t.
pay half OF the entire cost of the ex.
pertmental road Improvement
ArKumcnts Advanced.
How Uncle Sam 10 to be convinced
In Indicated in tho bill offered by Mr.
Bankhead. for the experiments are t.
be made. 1t specifics. for the pur.
| pose OF ascertaining ''the possible In.
crease In the territory which could
De served uy one carrier ana the pos
sible increase OF the number Of de.
| livery days each year, the amour,
required for proper maintenance II
excess OF local expenditure for rura
delivery routes and tho relative cav.
ing to the government In the main.
tenance OF rural delivery routes by
reason OF such improvements" and
also sthe relative saving in the cost
OF transportation OF agricultural and
other products from the farms OF
other points OF production to the
usual market place by reason Of such
improvements"
Representative Byrnes has gone
Senator Bankhead one better, by
proposing In similar bill that dou.
bic the amount OF money shall be
used in the experiments. And Sena.
tor Simmons also wants. coupled with
the report of the results Of the ex.
periments In road improvements, g
report on the feasibility o IA Fedora
automobile tax ON those machines
engaged in interstate travel.
i Another scheme for the improve