Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1913-07-03
GOOD. ROADS ISSUE
PLAN IS TO SECURE BUILDING OF
HIGHWAYS FROM ONE STATE
TO ANOTHER.
PORK BARREL BILL" DENIED
M cmbers Declare That Improvement
Would Affect Farming Country
Just as Much as II VIII Cities
Railroads Now Favor Idea.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

house is certain to have a good roads
committee with a large membership.
all kinds of plans are being suggested
by which to improve the highways OF
the country. There are evidences al
ready that good roads to consider
able extent are to be what General
Hancock called the tariff, "A local is
sue"
Members say that OF course II is
TO be the main plan of the good roads |
propaganda to secure the building OF |
highways from state to state. continu-
Gus roadways which can be used in
interstate commerce and thereby
"clinch their constitutionality. Some
senators and representatives say. that
the intlmation that a good roads APP
propriation bill will be a pork barrel
bill as the public buildings bill for
years has been called. is a mistake.
They add that good roads will affect
farming country and small outlying
communities just as much as they will
the cities and country adjacent to the
city. and that therefore the general
distribution OF the fayors" will pre-
vent great opposition from any quar-
ter to good road building. provided II
does not cost so much as to make
the benefits ot less value than the
money expended.
Movement Becomes Popular.
The good roads movement in con
gress has taken on a more rapid gait
recently than II ever strobe at before.
Once on a time there was strong
feeling among the members of both
houses that good roads legislation was
unconstitutional unless IT could be
clearly proved that the benefits were
to be nationwide and TO be OF large
service TO interstate commerce. Some
years ago a southern senator intro
duced bill appropriating $500. 900 for
start AT good roads construction.
he maintained that II the highways
constructed ran from one state to
another and were used for purposes
OF trade between states. all question
OF the constitutlonality OF the meas
ure would be answered
This argument was combated by
the strict constructionists. who de-
clared that II was only another way
OF beating the devil around the
stump"
II is said that next to the biological
survey the Office OF good roads be
came the most popular bureau OF the
agricultural department. Letters by
the thousands were written from al
over the United States to senators
and representatives asking that the
appropriation for the Office OF good
roads be increased In order that tho
work OF the specialists could be ex
tended. Congress did vote more
money for the roads bureau and
finally. under the spur OF the letters
from the people. members who ha'
doubted the constitutionality OF gen
eral roads building by the government
began to study the question and seem
Ingly a good many OF them have be
come converted.
Railways Are Won over.
The railroads recently have bee
taking an interest in the good road
proposition. II might naturally be es
pected that the railroads would fec
no particular interest In good roads
because II they were to be used 10
Interstate commerce, purposes.
would seem that they would TAX
away business from the rail carriers
The railroad men. however. seem I
have come to the conclusion that
good roads are built the agriculturis
will get a lot OF his products to tn
railroad station for shipment whic
otherwise he could not get there c
would not like to try to deliver b.
cause OF the bad road difficulties
the way.
Members say It must not be take
Tor granted that large appropriation
Immediately will be forthcoming fc
good roads projects. The senate
still largely to be won over to III
cause. and moreover an immens
amount OF study will be necessar
before a definite plan for beginnin
the work can be developed. 1t
probable that when the first grei
project is under way there will |
public hearings. and an attempt wi
be made to get the views on the SUI
lect from the country jewellers pa
ticularly.
Patronage and Lobbying.
The charges, II they can be ca
ed direct charges. which Senat,
townsend OF Michigan made again
President Wilson to the effect tn
the chief executive was the hi
gest lobbyist of them ALL" has broug
TO the minds OF good many Washin
ton correspondents, and officials to
tor that matter. the constant rect
ring charges OF like nature which ha
been made against presidents
years, generally In the heat OF deba
and under the stress OF partisan fe
Ing
Senator Townsend said before {
senate committee which was inves
eating the lobby matter that the
nuence welded by President Wills
and by the Democratic secret cauc
upon the making OF the tariff bill &C
stitutad the "neareat annroaoh to Il