The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1913-05-20
RURAL DISTRICTS BRING PRES
SURE ON coNcREsSMEN TO
HELP ROAD BUILDING.
PLAN NEW HOUSE COMMITTEE.
Opponents Of Proposal Say 1t VIII Be
Another "Pork Barrel Body-Fear
Cut in Public Building and River
Improvement Fund.
Ry eEoRGE CLINTON.

1t seems likely is to result in extensive
government aid in the work of road
building. 1t seems to be certain that
the house of representatives will have
a new subsidiary body to be called
the roads committee, which is to con-
sist of 81 members whose duty 1t will
be to consider the making of good
roads for these United States of Amer
lea. The opponents of the proposal
to create the committee say that it
will be another 'pork-barrel' body.
while the proponents of the plan de-
clare that its work is one that is es-
sential for the progress of the rural
communities.
Robert l.. Henry, chairman of the
committee on rules, is ready to re-
port resolution providing for the
formation of the new committee. This
resolution must go before the Demo
cratic caucus, where it will be opposed
by some of the members of congress
from the big towns and from others
who, because of their interest in pub
lie buildings and river and harbor i'm
provements, do not care to see the
funds yearly made available for these
projects to be split again in favor of
a new undertaking
No one realizes except members of
congress, perhaps, just what the pres
sure has been from all parts of the
country to secure legislation for the
benefit of the highways. Most of the
constituents of members apparently
do not understand how to go about
the work of getting what they want.
The petitions in the main are not di-
rected along the short routes of leg
islation, but are principally requests
that the Office of public roads in the
agricultural department be given
more money for its experimental
work.
Of Equal Importance.
Members of congress from rural dis
tricts seem to believe with their con-
stituents that the land highways are
of just as much Importance as the
river highways, and that in these days
of automobiles for pleasure and bust
ness highway Improvement will lead
to increased interstate commerce &C.
tivity and that the government rather
than the states should undertake the
work of making easy communication
by land possible
There are Democrats in both houses
on the ground that it is violation of
states rights. These Democrats say
that the states should legislate each
in it's own behalf
The friends of government road
building say that interstate commerce
Is involved indirectly if not directly,
and that the constitution will not be
Sblamed If the government should ap-
!propriate money to make commerce
between the states easy. In truth, the
men who hold to the states rights
theory do it, it is limited, because it is
an easy way of objection that because
they think it would bear up under the
test of the courts.
The belief seems to be that the
Democrats will support the chairman
of the house rules committee in his
attempt to secure the appointment of
a new committee of the house to give
its attention to matters concerning
highways.
Automobile Is Responsible.
The automobile industry, of course,
is interested in good roads, and one
of the arguments that has been used
against government aid for highway
building has been that private man
ufacturing interests were trying to Sc
cure expenditures of Uncle Sans
money to benefit their business. The
automobile men apparently do want
good roads, but it probably may be
accepted as true that If the automo-
bile never had been invented there
would be no great cry at present from
the country for government aid in the
construction Of roads. The automo-
bile in its various forms, it is urged,
has added to the usefulness in a COM
merce sense, to say nothing Of the
pleasure sense, of the roads of the
land
1t is probable that the most potent
argument which will be used against
government expenditures for high
ways will be the enormous cost which
VIII Iai1 upOA tA0 OA4tSQ 0IdL6S Treas
ury.
1t seems to be virtually assured.
however, that even il any money is
appropriated by the present congress
for highway construction, that suisse
quent congresses will vote the money,
for the demand for government work
on the roads has been increasing year
" for 15 years. and now the pressure
has proved to be strong enough to se-
cure recognition Of the movement by
the proposal to establish roads COM
mittee to develop plans for the fu-
ture
Tariff VIII Pass Senate.
The Democrats finally have come
TO what they say is a positive con-
clusion that the tariff bill in syir-
tuaily unamended form can be- put
through the senate by a majority
wholly Democratic, but nevertheless
small. 1t is probable. it is said, that
three Democrats may vote against the
bill because of local considerations.
Inst ff1ia nth fae - : 80. I..a --rr