The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-11-21
MARTIN AND SWANSON MAKE KEYNOTE


SPEECHES
The KEYNOTE speeches OF the Good Roads
Congress YESTERDAY were made by the Senator's
from virginia, Senator Martin speaking at the
morning session ana Senator Swanson closing
the program OF the afteroon session
Senator Martin evoked great enthUs4asm when
he voiced hts determination to support with all
his might All appropriation Of fifty millions OF
dollars a year for the carr ying on Of good roads
work throughout the country. He registered
emphatic disapproval Of any renewal of the
shoe contract Ii Virginia pentteutlafi
board, and took side swipe al the initiative.
referendum and recall with the assertion that
representative government is not failure
The senior Senator from virginia and Dem
ocratic leader In the Senate made a talk full
OF fire. He spoke with the force of conviction
and declared that the idea that there is no
constitutional warrant for the voting OF money
for the Improvement Of the roads Is absurd. He
declared that there was Thus saith the Con
st;tution" for such legislation and willing
II there not money enough to spare TO I'm
prove both the waterways OF the country and
the highways at the same time. to divide the
money between them,
He referred to his speech In this city six
years ago when he had declared for the mini
mixing as far as the State could the burdens OF
the Davis shoe contract and he reiterated hts
demand that no such contract be entered
into again but that the convicts be nsed In the
improvement of the roads of the Commonwealth
rather than in industry coming into com
petition with honest tabor.
The Senator does not favor the initiative.
sentiment has not failed to control legislation
In the past and viii not fail to do so In the
future. and that when conditions are wrong
the people should go to the polls and remedy
them and that. If they want government Co
opel alton in the construction of good roads
work. they should apply the whip to their
congressman. He amused the gathering by
saying that public men kept their ears to the
ground to hear what the public wanted. He
had done it. ne confessed, and suggested that
there was presidential election coming on
and that the president would do the
thing.
Senator claude A Swanson aroused the en-
thusiasm of the Convention to the highest pitch.
An enthusiastic advocate OF improved highways
himself the Junior Senator found no difficult.
In imparting his enthusiasm to his audience
senator swanson advocates governmental aid
to road construction the same plan that the
State OF Virginia helps the various coun-
ties. the State bearing proportion OF tho ex-
pense Of constructing road while the county
bears the remainder of tho cost. In other
words the State is willing to help those who
will help themselves Senator Swanson wants
to see the government appropriate Nifty NIL
lions of dollars a year to be expended on this
plan and his advocacy of the idea took tina
Congress by storm
The declarations OF both Of the Virginia
Senators that they are on the side Of actual
monetary cooperation on the part Of the Fed
eral government are deeply significant The
road campaign has taken even deeper hold
in the lower branch of Congress than In. the
Senate It all means that when Congress meets
there will be strong and influential mem
beers in both houses on the side OF progress for
highways
We believe that out Of total expenditure
OF thousand millions OF dollars Il year nifty
millions permanent highway Improvement
would be conservative appropriation We
trust tn see II pushed through both houses OF
Congress and us expenditure placed In wise
hands in cooperation with the State. county
and municipal movements. In fact, Senator
Martin suggested. when the government takes
hold OF the Roads and evidences
Its interest therein by the appropriation Of
money TO aid In the work Il viii mean much
more to the good roads propaganda than the
dollars and cents Of the appropriation. II will
mean that the various organizations at work
In the movement and the State and county
governments viii feel that they have a new
and powerful ally In the work and this new
co cooperating factor will give added momentum
to the movement and Increased enthusiasm
Amo1g its promoters.
We congratulate the American Good Roads
Congress upon the beginning II has made. upon