The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-12-22
Pennybacker Tells
House Committee OF
Good Roads Work
By HOP

I VIVA. the American Highway asso.
citation. the central organization work
; ing with State associations IN all the
States, stards for in relation to federal
aid in the Improvement of highways
was explained by ]. f, pennybacker,
recretary Of the association, when in
vitcd to appear before the good roads
committee of the house of represen-
/ tatives.
( Speaking for the two thousand
members Of the American Highway
associa ION Mr. Pennybacker stated
that ClIe association stood for a CO.
/ operative plan rather than the ex-
treme Of either Capitalization or To-
calization. and that the roads carry
+ ing the heaviest rural traffic should
/ be the first 10 be improved by fed
eral aid
When he had finished his formal
statement. Mr.. Pennybacker was re-
quested ty members of the commit
tee to outline his personal views. A.
editor of the Good Roads Year Book.
and as special expert Of both the fed
eral gcvCrnment, and of the Cana
dian government, Mr.. Pennybacker II
regarded as one OF the foremost ~.
thorities on the subject of roads. and
: he said frankly -ttstt he relieved that
a d str'h' ton of government funds
on "pcrk barrel basis would do
great harm. To avoid the suspicion
Of this, he said. the State should b
taken as the smallest unit for federal
aid. The government will then have
TO deal with only forty-eight parties
whereas. If it gives federal aid to
+ townships, it would have to deal with
900 townships or districts He be-
iieved ia cooperative plan, rather
/ than the direct distribution of fundA
BY dealing with the States, ana r0-
curing them to contribute. the pres
sure upon congressman by constitu-
ents wiI be avoided. Mr.. Pennybacker
Z asserted The townships would have
to deal with their own State high
way department, whose officials are
familiar with local conditions. the
State a ithorities to make the first se-
4 lection Of roads TO be improved, with
( he government inspecting and hold
ing vet power and sharing cost of Inn
provernept. He advocated a sliding
scale based on taxable valuation per
square mile, whereby the States out
lay wound be proportional to Its abii-
ity to gay. as shown by tax returns.
while ne governments outlay would
+ remain fixed In accordance with the
factors of population, area, and miles
( of post roads. He urged that the gov-
Z eminent funds be used for both con-.
structina and maintenance so as n
! conser-re the large mileage OF roadn
already improved, and meet the needs
| If those States which are going ahead
/ with construction.
! In closing. Mr. Pennybacker made r
suggestion which may solve the biz
problem as to whether the federal
! government should spend Its money
on trticT lines or the roads leadin0
from firm to market. This Is this
question over which the farmer and
automor list usually contend. Mr.
/ Pennybacker said that instead Of
adopting definite policy. the Quea-
/ ton in each case should be deter-
/ mined according to the needs OF this
state In Maine. he pointed out n
might be to the advantage OF all tha
citizens, including farmers. TO have
the trurF lines improved. because o.
/ the great number Of tourists ana
summer visitors. In iowa, on tho
other ilard. il would seem wise to
/ improve the market roads. because
the chief need is to make good roads
30 that the farmers can get their
products to market. He suggested.
Therefore, that this question be l04s
as an administrative detail to be work
ed out by the representatives OF thA
/ federal government. and the reSpe0-
tiyes sstateS Members of the conn
mittee were impressed by the argu-
/ ment. srd ii may prove the solution
I. of the question over which congreD
mas been hesitating for years Auto-
/ mobile and farming interests intt-
mated that they might get together
: on this compromise plan, which seems
/ in line with practical progress
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