Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1911-11-29
SWANSON GIVES KEY
NOTE OF CONVENTION
Addresses Good Roads Congress
in Capital City
IS ADVOCATE OF FEDERAL AID
Government Uses Roads for Rural
Mail Delivery

MAIL delivery
Senator Swanson struck the popu-
lar chord at the first national con-
vention OF the American Association
for Highway Improvement held last
week in Richmond. Judging from
the applause the junior senator from
Virginia made the most notable ad-
dress of the day although such fam
GUS speakers as DR.. Walter II. Page,
General Coleman DUPONT, OF Della
ware, the Honorable the Secretary
of Agriculture, who is James Will
son, and Representative John Lamb
of Virginia, bad preceded him at
the afternoon SESSION on the opening
day.
Other speakers had dwelt on the
necessity of good roads. Some had
enlarged on the Importance and
benefits they conferred; but Senator
Swanson was the man who told how
they might be obtained and it was
the man with the solution for a
problem which the audience cheer
ed and applauded again and again.
1T has been said" declared Sem
ator Swanson. that the Federal
government should not contribute
to the cause of good roads. 1t has
been suggested here that no money
should be appropriated by the Fed.
eral government. Yet the govern
ment uses one million miles OF the
roads built by you for rural deliv-
cry. 1t doesn't pay a cent for using
them and then comes here and asks
you to take care of them"
This was the signal for q big
burst Of applause.
The government, went on Sem
ator Swanson, spends $51, 900, 900
annually with the railroads of the
country to deliver it's mail. II it is
just and honest to pay railroads
SOL 900, 900 to carry mails over their
roads it is just and honest to pay
the people s51, 900, 600 to carry mails
over their roads. If 1t is just and
honest to spend $3l 900, 900 for the
benefit OF people who live along the
banks OF rivers it is only fair to
spend S3l 900, 900 for the benefit of
people who do not live along the
banks of rivers.
But you cannot get this govern
mont aid unless you work and agi-
tate for it," went on the senator,
and you cannot get things for one
State from the national government"
he added, indicating their error to
many who thought that Virginia
might be favored by the Federal
government over other States.
Massachusetts, Pennsylvania"
said Senator Swanson, have built
their good roads through State aid.
That plan has been advocated here.
There has been enough hot air
spent to macadamize every road in
Virginia, but when money is APP
propriated for the purpose there is
a loud protest. Some of the dele
gates thought that Senator Swanson
said there was loud boiler or big
yell but really he said protest.
You must have joint action on
the part of the local communities,
State and nation" declared the
speaker. The government should
appropriate money and this money
should be divided equally among
the States, large cities and rural
communities in proportion to the
number OF inhabitants-provided
that each State and city and rural
community shall appropriate an
equal amount"
The sentiments of Senator Swan
soc were received with prolonged
applause and when the session ad
journed he was congratulated warm
ly for his speech, which was term
cd practical. sound, wise, eloquent
and otherwise auded.-Richmond
Virginian.