The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1912-10-03
THE GOVERNMENT IS PLAN
MING GOOD ROADS EXTEsON
State and County Cooperation Will be
Asked by the Federal Authorities.

ments. And the probabilities are that
a gigantic bond issue will be made be-
fore the work of rebuilding the roads is
well under way, but if the arguments of
thetbelievers in good roads is correct,
the benefits that result from good high
ways will more than repay the outlay.
From all sections Of the country there
come clamOrs for better roads, and the
cry is going up that in many respects
the United States is way behind the
Romans of old in respect of road build
ing. But start has been made in the
matter of federal aid for good roads, and
as it is the history of federal legislation
and federal activities that once they are
started they grow instead of diminish,
1t may be expected that Congress in the
near future will make big appropriations
for this project
To the automobile is given much credit
for the outcroping of this demand for
road improvement. While the automo-
bile, itself, is destructive of good roads,
it has caused great numbers of persons
to become interested in the subject of
of better highways, who under other
circumstances probably would not have
given the matter a thought.
The start of federal aid for road build
ing was made in the appropriation bill
for the postoffice department. This
measure sets aside halt. a million dollars
to be expended under the direction of
the postmaster general and the secre-
tary of agriculture in improving the
roads over which rural delivery of mails
is made ORD lover Swhich!routes may be
established. This half million dollars is
in addition to the $25, 900 appropriated
for joint committee of the two houses
of Congress to inquire into the question
of federal aid to good roads land report
at the earliest date practicable
The work of lettering the rural de
livery roads with the halt million APP
preparation, already has been planned.
This work will be done under the direc-
ton of Logan Waller Page, director of
the office of public roads, department of
agriculture. AS everybody knows, the
half million appropriated will be only
small beginning and will pay for the re
construction of but small percentage
Of the roads of the country, and millions
more must be expended from Uncle
Sans strong box before the roads are
! brought up to standard conditions. But
actual work on roads in every state of
the union will be done with the half
million already allotted.
The policy that will govern the eX-
penditure of this first appropriation as
outlined at a recent conference between
Secretary of Agriculture Wilson, Post
master General Hitchcock and Director
Page, will be an equitable distribution
of the money among the states. Under
this ruling each state will get about
ten thousand dollars. OF this eight
| thousand will be allotted to each state at
once, while the remaining two thousand
will be retained to be used as a mainten-
ance fund. 1t is the purpose of the Of
ficials to expend this eight thousand in
each state in putting one or two post
roads in the best of condition. 1t of
course will not be possible to build new
roads with this small sum, but the
money will be used in an experiment to
see how far it will go in putting exist
ing roads in prime conditions.
In order to get the use of this govern
ment money, the several state govern
ments are expected to appropriate twice
the sum allotted by the federal govern
| ment. In other words the expenditure
of eight thousand by the federal govern
ment IN state to improve post roads
will mean in reality that twenty four
thousand dollars is expended for that
purpose. This will make it possible to
improve considerable stretch of road in
each state of the Union.
Under the plan as outlined, the gov
ernor of each state will be advised of
the plan of the federal government and
the governor then will ask the county
and township authorities to select the
routes or roads which they want i'm
proved. The matter or selection will
be left entirely to the state authorities.
But a government expert will supervise
the work of.repairing and improving the
road. The law permits the local author
tiles to raise the supplemental part of
the funds, so that if the state legisla-
lures do not see fit to appropriate twice
the sum allowed by the federal govern
ment, county authorities may do so.
1t is required, under the law, that the
Secretary of Agriculture and the Post
master General report to Congress with
in a year the miles of road improved,
the cost and other information, together
with recommendations for and plan of,
general federal aid for good roads in
cooperation with the State and local
| governments.
During the consideration of the meas
ure in Congress, all sorts of schemes