Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1913-01-01
FEDERAL AID TO ROADS
Position Taken by U. S. Government
Respecting National Highways.
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WILL
EVENTUALLY BE EXPENDED
John Snure, An Iowa Man. at Wash.
ingtOn, Outlines Future OF Good
Roads Problem for the Farm
and Home.

/
of good roads. An era OF large ex
penditures from the federal treasur,
for the purpose of making and main
tanning good roads has begun.
This is an important statement o
fact, in view of the haggling still in
dulged in by technical lawyers ans
constitutional sharps over the ques
tion whether the general government
has authority to grant federal aid Il
road improvement.
The truth is, there Is no longer an.
use debating the question whether
congress has the authority to vote
money to improve roads. For years
this was argued pro and con in bott
House and Senate. Now congress hal
settled the matter by deciding that /,
does have the authority and will use
1t. f
It has not yet dawned upon many
people that the last session of con-
gress. q session roundly criticised for
having accomplished little, has done
more to advance the cause Of road
Improvement in this country than
dozens of sessions that preceded it.
A study of the Post-O ONCE Appropria-
tion Bill will show, however, that
much has been accomplished.
True. it did not allow millions OF
dollars for road improvement. But
1t took long steps in that direction.
It paved the way to heavy appro-
priations for roads in the near future.
It Is safe prediction that in few
Years hence the government will be
making large and regular appropria-
tons for road Improvement and that
such appropriations will be made Is
I matter Of course. just as money Is
now allowed every year to provide TO:
rural delivery Of mail or to improve
rivers and harbors.
The POST ONCE Appropriation Bill
allows. $4,000 to enable joint COM
mittee ito make inquiry into the sub
ject Of federal aid in the construction
Of post-roads and report at the ear
liest practicable date" This is one
step toward good roads.
!, The same bill approprites $780,
900 to be expended in experimental
Of roads throughout
the country. 1t is worth while to-
notice that when congress allowed
this sum it had to take the position
that federal aid to good roads was
lawful and authorized under the Com
stitution. II congress can direct q
dollars worth Of road
it can direct fifty or
one hundred or two hundred times as
much of it.
The half-million-dollar appropria-
tion for experimental purposes will
result in efforts toward road inn
proyement in all parts OF the coun-
try-in every state II taken advan-
tage of-which are bound to attract
the widest interest and attention.
The money is to be expended by the
Secretary of Agriculture in co-opera-
with the Postmaster-General, ''in inn
the condition of roads. to be
selected by them. over which rural
delivery b or may hereafter be es-
tablished.
Congfess provided that improve
ments made under this experiment
should be to ascertain the following:
1. The increase in the territory
which could be served by each car
rier as q result Of such improvement.
.. The possible increase in the
number Of delivery days in each year.
8. The amount required in excess
OF local expenditures for the proper
maintenance Of such roads.
4. The relative saving to the gov
delivery service and to the local in
In the transportation Of
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