Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1913-07-04
GOOD ROADS ISSUE
PLAN IS TO SECURE BUILDING OF
HIGHWAYS FROM ONE STATE
TO ANOTHER.
''PORK BARREL BILL" DENIED
members Declare That Improvement
Would Affect Farming Country
Just as Much az u viii Cities
Railroads Now Favor Idea.
Rx GEORGE CLINTON.

by GEORGE CLINTON.
Washington.-Now that the lower
house is certain to have a good roads
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 II is
to be the main plan of the good roads
propaganda to secure the building of
highways from state to state. continu-
Gus roadways which can be used in
interstate commerce and thereby
"clinch their constitutionality." Some
senators and representatives say that
the intimstion that a good roads ap-
preparation bill will be 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 to 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 1t
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 strobe at before
Once on a time there was q strong
feeling among the members Of both
houses that good roads legislation was
unconstitutional unless 1t could be
clearly proved that the benefits we're
to be nationwide and to be of large
service to Interstate commerce. Some
years ago a southern senator intro
duced bill appropriating 100000 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 it 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 constftutionality OF gem
eral roads building by the government
began to study the question, and SEEM
ingly a 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. 1t might naturally be ex-
pected that the railroads would feel
no particular interest in good roads,
because II they were to be used for
interstate commerce purposes, 1t
would seem that they would take
away business from the rail carriers.
The railroad men. however, seem to
have come to the conclusion that IL
good roads are built the agriculturist
will get lot of his products to the
railroad station for shipment which
otherwise he could not get there or
would not like to try to deliver be-
cause of the bad road difficulties in
the way.
Members say it must not be taken
for granted that large appropriations
Immediately will be forthcoming for
good roads projects. The senate is
still largely to be won over to the
cause, and moreover an immense
amount of study will be necessary
before a definite plan for beginning
the work can be developed. It is
probable that when the first great
project is under way there viii be
public hearings, and an attempt will
be made to get the views on the sub
iect from the country dwellers par
Iicularly.
Patronage and Lobbying.
The charges, If they can be call
ed direct charges. which Senator
Townsend of Michigan made against
President Wilson to the effect that
the chief executive was .the big.
gest lobbyist of them all" has brought
70 the minds Of good many Washing.
ton correspondents. and officials too.