The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-05-12
VOTERS CONE OUT
FOR GOOD ROADS
~ STRICT cONGREssMEN TO STAND
IN FAVOR OF HIGHWAY
APPROPRIATIONS.
THEY MAY GET AID
CONGRESS, At PRESENT, HOW n, ER.
-ifAhF.s REFUGE HA44f4NB
-.
OLD DODGE OF CON-
MISSION.
THEY MAY GET AID
BY VICTOR ELLIOTT.

the last decade the good roads owe
iaent has taken such decided brace
that today there are about as MANY
national" good ROADS associations as
there are grand army camps The
ria5ority of these do little talk, but
evca talk is having its effect, for
whore there is smoke there must DE
a little fire
The light thus furnished has
brought into view several important
appropriation bills now pending be-
more Congress. providing for the ex-
penditure of large sums of money,
both for the investigation of road
conditions, something about which
the people at large know as much as
they desire. and for actual road
building.
While most of the good roads as
sociations have merely barked lit
tie and never bitten anything but
their tongues. there are few Of
them which have a decided influence
in stimulating interest in all sections
and among all classes
Underwood's Bill.
The road movement Is one which
has not appealed to the national leg
islators for many years Not since
the appropriation of the funds to
build the great national road from
Cumberland, Maryland. to St Louis.
Missouri CopUracS ,,,.b
anything in the way of appropriating
money for highway Improvement
This session, however, Oscar Under
weed, the hope OF the insurgefft
Democrats" and the majority leader
on the floor OF the House OF Repre-
sentatives, has introduced bin ap-
propriating a generous amount of
money 10 defray the expenses of
tomln &sion to investigate ar report
upon the roads conditions of the
fite4a States with view 10 making
tee6 u mendatioLs q 'Gngress on how
money should be spent in highway
improvements.
The road associations think this a
favorable omen, but at the same time
they feel that they know to a mud
3
the country. and wish that the money
which Mr., Underwood designs to be
used as remuneration for a lame
duck commission could be put into
grading. drainage. rock and gravel.
Second Hand information
1t SO happens. though. that the
| House of Representatives. be It Re
publican. or Democratic. thinks itself
unqualified TO take the information
about the roads at first hand from
the people and pass equitable laws,
but must first be informed as to what
is needed by commission. This
commission will consider the roads OF
| the United States and the sentiments
OF the people before permitting The
uaiier to be served tc the Po@se Of
Representatives After the road
question is properly prepared and
garnished with such condiments as
only lame duck commission can de-.
Wise, it will be- put up TO the Com
gress BY that time, II this commits
sion idea is carried out. the States
VIII probably have taken the bit in
their teeth and improved their own
roads. 1t may be that the House is
a good enough chess player To foresee
Ithis sery Outcome fnd so thinks a
commission is cheaper than $4,000
600 year for roads.
Z he question has .eso'Yed itAcsTI
into a pecuniary one, pure and sim
pie. Congress does not want TO
spend the money necessary 10 I'M
prove the highways. but the PROPOSE
ton now being advanced by the road
men is that Congress cannot afford
not TO spend the money
L. .soHth ani ssoSd Roads.
Some of the theorists on the road
question advanced this theory NOT
long ago Up until few years be-
fore the Civil War, the South was
the seat of wealth, industry and
learning The South was then better
provided with roads; not that the
roads We're macadamized pixies, but
the north had no roads at all. Then
Ia great nat'0at, road MAS pus9ci
over the mountains from Cumberland
and down the Ohio Valley 10 St
Louis. Almost Immediately the
trend OF trans-mountain migration
changed from the valleys OF Tennes-
see and Kentucky and other Southern
States. to the Northwest Territory of
Ohio. Indiana and Illinois Business
sprang up like mushroom and
wealth was accumulated.
Then came the war. From the ter
ritory contiguous to the great nation
al road came the men who won the
| battles of that strife for the Union.
That road was the main artery in
the heart OF the Union,
Z Now the theorists go still further
and point out that wherever roads
are built. prosperity follows,
when the highways are allowed to
fall into disrepair the sceptre departs
from that part OF the country
| Voters throughout the country are
gradually instructing their Con-
gressmen to take stand In favor OF
road appropriations In the House and
Senate The feeling lis strongly on
tn. sub iect in e:erv State and ii is
believed that within the next five
years Congress will be setting aside
loat q all monars III the United States
treasury, no other wise appropriated,
at least $50, 100000 year for high
way improvement.