The Forrest City times., 1913-06-27
plANls TO SECURE BUILDING OF HIGHWAYS FROM ONE STATE
 TO ANOTHER
"PoRK BARREL BILL" DENIED
Members Declare That Improvement Would Affect Farming Country lust as Much as It Will Cities Railroads Now Favor Idea.
By GEORGE CLINTON.

committee with large membership, all kinds of plans are being suggested by which to improve the highways of the country There are evidences al ready that good roads to a consider able extent are to be what General Hancock called the tariff, "A local is sue"
 Members say that of course it is to be the main plan of thn good roads uropaganda to secure tho building of bjphways from state to state, continu- ous roadways which can be used in interstate commerce and thereby "clinch their constitutionality." Some senators and representatives say that the intimatiOn that a good roads ap- propriation bill will be a pork barrel bill as the public buildings bill for years has been called, is a mistake. They add that good roads will affect farming country and small outlying communities just as much as they will the cities and country adjacent 10 the city and that therefore the general distribution of the favors" will pre- vent great opposition from any quar- ter to good road building. provided it does not cost so much as to make the benefits of less value than the money expended
 Movement Becomes Popular.
 The good roads movement in con gress has taken on more rapid gait recently than it ever strode at before.
 
 feeling among the members of both houses that good roads legislation was unconstitutional unless it could be clearly proved that the benefits were to be nationwide and to be of large service to interstate commerce. Some years ago a southern senator intro duced bill appropriating $500 900 for a start at good roads construction. He maintained that if the highways constructed ran from one state to another, and were used for purposes of trade between states, all question of the constitutionality of the meas ure would be answered
 This argument was combated by the strict constructionists, who de clared that il was only another way of beating the devil around the stump"
 It is said that next to the biological survey the office of good roads be- came the most popular bureau of the agricultural department Letters by the thousands were written from all over the United States to senators and representatives asking that the appropriation for the office of good roads be increased in order that the work Of the specialists could be ex tended Congress did vote more money for the roads bureau and finally, under the spur of the letters from the people, members who had doubted the constitutionality of gen eral roads building by the government began to study the question, and seem ngiy good many of them have be- come converted
 Railways Are Won Over.
 The railroads recently have been taking an interest in the good roads proposition. It might naturally be ex. pected that the railroads would feel no particular interest in good roads, because if they were to be used for interstate commerce purposes, it would seem that they would take away business from the rail carriers. ine railroad men, however, seem to nave come to the conclusion that if good roads are built the agriculturist VIII get lot of his products to the ialroac station for shipment which o'herWise he could not get there or would not like to try to deliver be- Vause or the bad road difficulties in the way.
 Members say it must not be taken ior granted that large appropriations luileo'ately will be forthcoming for eoou roads projects. The senate is s'iiI largely to be won over to the cause and moreover an immense a".ouht of study will be necessary ueiore definite plan for beginning N'ne work can be developed. It is Piooable that when the first great project is under way there will he s1'"o hearings, and an attempt will 'e made to get the views on the sub, .ec' rom the country dwelers par dcularly.
 Patronage and lobbyino.
 me charges, if they can be call w eu direct charges. which Senator townsend of Michigan made against 'esldent Wilson to the effect that tue chief executive was the big. .es. lobbyist of them all," has brought tue minds of good many Washing son correspondents. and officials too, s mat matter, the constant recur- 'ns oharges of like nature which have en made against presidents for ns' generally in the heat of debate ing. oi p'' ''s"n iee'' senator Townsend said before the Hd'e committee which was investi, ea''hs the lobby matter that the in. a auence welded by President Wilson au oy the Democratic secret caucus Si Hpo" the making of the tariff bill con. tIu,ed the nearest approach to un-