The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-30
GOOD ROADS FOR THE
FARMERS URGED BY
SECRETARY HOUSTON.
Approves Efforts of Ameri-
can Good Roads Con-
gress-President Will
son Sends Letter

Detroit Mich. September 29.-Secre-
tary Houston of the United States de-
partment of agriculture in an address
before the American Road congress
here today expressed his approve al of
the efforts of the organization and
explained the interest of the federal
government with reference 10 road
building. He urged good roads for the
farmer In preference to great trans
continental highways for automo bilists
and at the same time he said he did
not underestimate the valuable serv-
ice rendered by automobilists in the
propaganda for road building.
THE suggestion of great rational
transcontinental roads appeals 10 my
imagination as does the suggestion OF
cities of commercial Importance to my
logical faculty and to the sense of
pleasure that ] experience in riding
about the country in my friends auto
mobiles. But that the essential thing
to be done is the providing of good
roads which shall get products from
the community farms to the nearest
station and make rural life more prof
liable. comfortable. pleasureable. 1 en-
tertain no sort of doubt; and It IS OBJ !.
vious that the representative OF the
people in Congress are like minded For
in making their recent appropriation
of a 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 ana for
the transportation of farm products to
the market,
Good Roads Essential
Such roads are equally essential tc
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 no.
underestimate the rights and pleasures
of the automobilists and the service
they have rendered in the propaganda
for road building.
That the suggestion of feds raj aid to
road building raises grave questions
and involves possible dangers, no
thoughtTul citizen doubts. There aIe
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 insig-
nificance No proposal which does not
carry with 1t the assurance Of SAFE
guarding the treasury In this direction
seems to me to stand the ghost OF a
chance of favorable consideration.
THE first practical esssntials in the
planning Of road legislation would seem
to be to recognize the states ~ the small
est unit with which the federal govsrn-
ment might deal. This would give relief
from the insistent demand that would
come from every township and every dis.
trict In the Union for its share of state
or federal assistarce without referencs
to the practichbility Of the undertaking.
1T would sesni that the hasic feature
would be such co-opefation between tho
states and federal government as would
leave with tho statas tho initiative In tho
selection of roads TO receive aid and as
much of tho Immediate construction and
maintenance as would be practicabis
Must Have Check !:
1T also Is reasonably clcar that there
must DO some automatic check on the de-
mands to be made on Congress and that