Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1913-05-20
BUILDING GOOD ROADS
Many Bills introduced in Con.
gresS for Federal Aid.
Matter May Soon Be Tnrssned Out
and Happy Medium Found Where
by Government and Various
States May Cooperate
- HOWARp q. GROssJ

By HOWARD Il CROSSE
Al every session Of congress for
the last few years, q half dozen or
more bills have been introduced TO
urovfde for some kind OF cooperation
between the federal government and
the various states, for the permanent
Improvement OF the highways. These
bills are generally limited 10 those
roads used for rural delivery. which
comprise about half Of all the roads
there are. and cover practically all
the main thoroughfares- It need
scarcely be said that most % these
measures are impracticable, visionary
and show clearly that the author has
given the subject but very little con
sideration- Others have been quite
carefully thought out These facts
collectively show that the subject is
knocking at the doors Of congress
and must sooner or later be consid-
cred upon it's merits and disposed Of.
Like every great question. there Is
& diversity Of opinion. ranging all
the way from no federal assistance
10 the other extreme that Uncle sam
should assume the whole burden.
When the matter has been fully
thrashed out. as il now appears II
soon viii be, it viii be found that
somewhere between these extremes
q practical. equitable plan vii be
found, and around this public senti
ment will erystaliZe Without doubt
II wili require at least some reeogni-
ton by and obligation upon the fed
{ eral government 10 do something sub
stsntial regarding such roads as il
uses in its rural mail service.
One of the bills that Is attracting
I considerable attention and Is having
some support Is a plan whereby the
federal government VIII pay an annual
rental for such roads as il uses. pro
I vided they are kept in good condition.
/ the amount ranging from fifteen 10
I thirty dollars per nile. depending
upon the character OF the road
The most significant action. how
ever. that was taken at The recent
I ton Of Oscar " Underwood Of Ala
I baua. the majority leader o. The
Z house. for the appointment q a JOINT
{ committee Of congress 10 SIT during
I the vacation and 10 so into The sub
Z ieet very fully 10 ascertain and de-
I termine the duty OF the federal gov
eminent TO the highways. and 20 What
extent if any, and hoE. Il Al all ths
I general government should take nc
I this matter. Mr. Underwood holds
: that the first thing to do IS 70 zscer
/ tain from all the data that can be-
had exactly what ought TO bs doaA
I considering all the circumstances andi
factors that enter into the problem
This resolution was referred 70 the
committee on rules Of the house. and
this committee called a public hear
/ ing and invited various good roads
I organizations and individuals 70 be
| present and give the committee sug
gestions upon the propriety. wisdom
and scope that should be embraced.
The writer was honored with an in
yitation to address the committee.
Altogether perhaps eight OF ten rep
resentstiye men were heard from yari-
GUS parts OF the country While there
was some diversity Of opinion, all
agreed that the appointment of the
proposed committee was logical and
should be Regarded as the first step
toward the solution OF this great prob
lem, and that the committee should
give ample time to its consideration
and be prepared to report at the OPEN
ing OF congress in December next
The committee, without leaving
their seats. unanimously passed he
resolution and ordered II presented
10 the house for adoption. II was sug-
sested that parties Interested wculd
De invited TO submit plans and argu'
ments both for and against the propo-
siiion with drafts OF such bills as the
author wished to have considered. to
me end that the committee should
have before It all the data and de-
tails necessary upon which TO reach
conclusion. Ii was suggested that
large part Of the physical and sci
entinc data that would naturally be
required could be supplied by the
ROOD roads bureau OF the department
OF agriculture.
The favorable outcome OF this hear-
ING greatly pleased the good roads
: advocates. present. and Il really looks
as though something definite soaid
De done in the near future.