Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1912-06-20

,r;-weekly trips owe some 10000 rural
free delivery routes. each OF which in
wolves the use of an average OF about
eight miles OF road. Here are 400, 900
miles of highways used b. the federal
government as post roads. Under cN-
ecy theory and rule of practice % the
postottice department. h safe and
speedy nSm!SS OF the United
States mail is of paramount import
ance. 1t takes precedence of all other
traffic i'm the streets Of our cities. 1t
furnishes justification for the calling in
of troops To end a railroad strike. 1t
forms the basis for tremendous annual
subsidies To every railroad i'm the Unit
ed States. II ii not a sufficiently good
excuse particularly as 1T is especially
and distinctly sanctioned by the on
stitution for federal participation ON IL
liberal scale in the construction of a
national system of good roads?
before there We're any railroads
there was no question about the power
"f the federal government to build
highways. Thomas Jefferson did not
question the governments authority,
hut. "n the contrary. approved heartily
the action of congress in establishing
the national road. usually known as the
Cumberland road. which was planned
10 connect the seat OF government at
Washington with the newly acquired
I.ouihiana Purchase beyond the Mis-
xisSippi. Tine national road was sur
vryrd across the states of Maryland.
Virginia. Pennsylvania. Ohio. Indiana
and Illinois To East ST. Louis. 1t was
actually graded by the federal govern
ment from Cumberland. Md. tn Wheel
ing. ~ nths banks of the Ohio. and UNI
TIL the coming of the iron horse it was
the artery through which tho COM
merce of half L continent flowed. When
later presidents questioned the consti-
III tfnt,utit ~ nyfI,f,,trH rnr tina paoftnn
ance OF the road and 1t was turned
over to- the states through which il
ran, there was little popular protest.
because the prophetic minds ut that
day saw a vision OF railroads ravers-
Ing every farm aud putting the horse
prophets of today are predicting the
extinction nf the equine species by the
automobile. The constitutional ques-
tion ought not to- he a difficult nne to-
settle. President Taft. who is more or
less of an authority on constitutional
law, said i'm his speech AZ the \. &. A.
dinner given i'm New York city: II adj
NIT that the federal government has
the power for the purpose of promot-
Ing Interstate to build ma
tional roads. 1t has been done al
ready" With President Taft and
Thomas Jefferson in accord ii ts diff
cult to see how either progressives ar
S~tandpatters q seriously challenge
the constitutional right OF congress to
appropriate public funds for this pur-
pose.
The sentiment in favor OF financial
cooperation by the federal govern
,nent with the state and their SUBJ
divisions I'm the creation OF a national
system of improved highways is re-
Elected In the effort OF the American
Automobile ASSOCIATION to bring togeth-
cr representatives of every interest and
organization which desires to have
such n policy adopted. While the or
ganiZed motorists have taken this mat
ter un, they are not alone in the move
ment. nor indeed Is their interest the
paramount one. They simply happen
I" be 81 little better organized for the
purpose OF bringing the subject to n
focus. co-operating with them I'm this
movement are such organizations az
the union. a large umbe OF
business and commercial organizations
who's members see the Importance to
commerce. and trade I'm the %tensi
OF highway Improvement, and the au-
thorit1es OF numerous states.
II any evidence were needed OF the
nation wide extent of the sentiment In
favor of federal aid for good roads. 1t
could be FOUND i'm the 35 separate bills
that have been introduced i'm the
United states congress-, each making
some provision for a government ap-
preparation to this end. Senators INC
representatives from Washington.
Maryland. Colrado, North Carolina,
Texas. Indiana. Illinois. Alabama. Viz
ginia. Iowa. Missouri. Ohio. Kansas.
West Virginia. Georgia. Tennessee.
Utah. South Carolina. Idaho and Lou
isiana have introduced these measures.
Their provisions range all the way
from the establishing of a commission
to study the subject to an Immediate
appropriation of $780, 900, 900 for good
roads. There is q general belief that
the time is at hand when the United
States must lend its aid for the i'm
provement of our highways. as it has
lent it's aid to the construction of oul.
railroads. the Improvement Of our wa
ter courses and the protection of our
harbors. 10 crystallize this belief into
y nenillte plan or action is the aim Of
the American Automobile associntion