The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-03-06
CONGRESS ON GOOD
ROADS HELD TO-DAY
Plea For Federal Aid in I'M
proving National High
ways Made.
lST ANNUAL MEETING
Joint Committee Is Composed
of Congressman and
Senators.
lST ANNUAL MEETING
(NationaI News Association

(NationaI News Association)
WASHINGTON, March GA plea
for Federal aid in improving national
highways was the keynote of the first
session of the End annual convention
of the Federal Aid Good Roads Con-
gress which convened here today I'M
der the auspices of the American Au-
tomobile Association.
Delegates to the convention from all
parts of the United States stated that
only through the aid of the Federal
Government could the roads OF the
nation be brought to a high degree of
efficiency.
The movement was set afoot at the
first annual convention of the con-
gress. Later the United States con-
gress. acting on it's recommendation,
appointed joint committee to investi-
gate the subject. Those in charge OF
the convention were confident today
that favorable action would be taken
by the government in the near future.
The Joint committee appointed by
Congress consists of Senator Jonathan
Bourne of Oregon, chairman; Senator
Boise Penrose of Pennsylvania, Sena-
tor A. J. Gronna, of North Dakota,
Senator Lee F. Overman of North Car
DINA and Senator Claude A. Swanson
of Virginia. Representatives D. w.
Shakleford of Missouri, Gordon Lee of
Georgia, Daniel J. McGillicuddy Of
Maine; Martin B. Madden of Illinois,
and Richard w. Austin of Tennessee.
This committee has been collecting
information on the subject of Federal
aid in road building and will report at
the extra session of congress.
The Federal Aid Congress will ad-
journ tomorrow night.
The National Grange will have a
spokesman in the person of c. s. Stet-
son of Maine. Mr.. Stetson is the chair
man of the executive committee of the
Grange and is one of the most import
ant figures in the country identified
with the road building movement. Mr..
Stetson has devoted much of his time
to the consideration of country roads
and it is expected that he will talk
along the lines of rural highway con-
struction.
The National Chamber of Congress
will more than likely be represented
by its president, Harry A. Wheeler,
who is said to have already prepared a
very able address on the relation of
the Chamber Of Congress to Good
Roads.
The position of the American Auto
mobile Association in respect of Fed
eral aid in road building was set forth
in a recent interview by chairman
George c. Delhi, of the good roads
board of the A. A. A. Mr.. Diehl said:
There are certain main roads in
every community leading to country
seats and very populous centers, the
tax upon townships, for the usefulness
of these roads under the new conditions
includes the county as whole. Con-
sequently each township and each pro-
perty owner. should only pay his prop
er share in the Improvement of this
class of highways. The wider area Of
travel makes necessary the opening of
improved highways between country
seats leading to populous centers, and
important marketing points.
THE same relation which exists be-
tween town and county, and between
the county and state, in the improve
ment of certain classes of highways,
should exist between each state and
the Federal Government. Highways of
an interstate character. those leading
from the capital of one State to the
capital of another those trunk lines
leading to great centers of population,
to points. of public interest; to popular
resorts; in fact any highway and ma
jor portion of the mileage travel over
which originates outside the state,
should properly be constructed at the
expense of the Federal Government