The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-09-30
SECRETARY HOUSTON
FAVORS GOOD ROADS
Addresses the Congress at De-
troit and Approves Efforts
of Organization.
URGES COOPERATION
Head of Agricultural Depart
nent Says States Should
Take Initiative.
URGES COOPERATION

DETROIT, Mich, Sept. 29.-Secre-
tary Houston Of the United States de-
partment Of agriculture, in an address
before the National Good Roads con-
gress here today, expressed his ap-
proval OF the efforts of the organiza-
tion, and explained the interest of the
federal government with reference to
road building. He urged good roads
for the farmer in preference to great
transcontinental highways for auto
mobilists, but said he did not under
estimate the valuable service rendered
by automobilists for road building.
''That the essential thing to be
done,'' he said, "is the providing of
good roads which shall get products
from the community farms to the near
est station and make rural life more
profitable, comfortab BILE, pleasurable, |
entertain no sort of doubt; and it is
obvious that the representatives Of the
people in congress are like minded
For in making their recent apPropria-
tion of half million dollars for good
roads they stipulated that it should
be used In improving the condition OF
post roads with view to the economy
and efficiency Of postal delivery and
products to the market.
Good Roads Essential.
"Such roads are equally essential to
the establishment and operation of de"
cent elementary and secondary schools
for the benefit of the country boys
and girls. I do not eliminate other
things from consideration and I do
not underestimate the rights and
pleasures of the automobilists and the
service they have rendered in the
propaganda for road building
"That the suggestion Of federal aid
to road building raises grave ques'
tions and involves possible dangers, no
thoughtful citizen doubts, There are
proposals before the public mind which
would bankrupt the federal treasury
and suggest possible abuses, before
which those Of the worst pork barrel
bills Of the past would pale into in
significance. No proposal which does
not carry with it the assurance Of safe
guarding the treasury in this direction
seems to me to stand the ghost Of q
chance Of favorable consideration.
"The first practical essentials in the
planning of road legislation would seen
to be to recognize the states as the
smallest unit with which the fedora
government might deal
Cooperation Urged.
cit would seem that the basic
feature would be such cooperation be
tween the states and federal govern
ment as would leave with the state
the initiative in the selection of road
to receive aid and as much Of the i'm
| mediate construction and maintenance,
as would be practicable.
cit is also reasonably clear tina
there must be some automatic checl
upon the demands to be made upol
congress, and that this should be af
forded through the requirement tina
| the states and localities should con
tribute an amount both for construc
tion and maintenance at least equal t.
| and possibly double that contributed
| by the federal government
Other speakers before the congress
today included: Logan Waller Page
president of the American Highway as
sociation, and A: w. Campbell, deputy
minister of railways and canals il
Canada