The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1913-09-18
HENsLEY WORKING FOR
FEDERAL AID TO ROADS.

Congress for a Federal law to aid In
the improvement OF roads, the re.
suit of which is good roads hill
introduced by him on the Doth ult., ,
and which has been referred to the
Committee on Roads. He has sent
copies OF the bill to number Of
persons in the district with letter
in which he says:
II am sincerely interested IN the
matter of the Improvement OF our
highways. have at every oppor-
tunity here emphasized the wisdom
OF the early passage of equitable
legislation on this subject. | should
regard public funds spent in this
manner as a iudicious expenditure
whereby a great majority of the peo-
pie would be directly and materially
benefited.
81 have given this important
question very careful thought and |
feel that we could well afford, for In
stance, to divert annually few mil
lions of the vast sums being spent
for military purposes to the great
benefit of our highways and without
IN any degree impairing the efiici-
ency of osr national defense, and /
advocate this plan. l favor an ade-
quate navy, but ! feel beyond doubt
that such navy can be maintained
for less money than is being ex.
pended for this purpose at the pres
ent time. am member OF the
Committee on Naval Affairs of the
House.
~ do not, however, feel that it
would be proper, or the part OF wis
dom to simply provide for this pur-
pose large unrestricted lump sums
Of money which by law must be dis
bursed without any particular re-
gard to the local sentimsat or per-
haps the urgent necessity for such
expenditure in such community; and
perhaps also to the absolute neglect
Of other sections of the country
where both public sentiment aud
necessity demand first considern-
ton. On the contrary, | feel that
we should make provision, as ! have
in my bill, whereby any State suf-
iiciently interested in the movement
may obtain from the Federal Gov
eminent Il specified sum for road i'm
provements upon proper showing
sought 10 be obtained for this pur-
pose Is available within the Treas
ury OF said State. am convinced
that this is the fundamental princi-
pal that should obtain in providing
Federal aid for road building. I'll
would not only make it possible,
where sufficient interest has been
aroused, to obtain Federal aid in
road improvements, but 1t would al
so guarantee that such sums would
be spent where they are both sought
and needed.
THE recent GOOD Roads" days
In Missouri is in IA large measure
practical demonstration of the pro-
visions of my bill. As you, of
course, know, our progressive Gov.
ernOr set apart two days as Good
Roads Days, and from reports which
! have received much good resulted
therefrom and Governor Major is
entitled to the sincere thanks OF the
people who need good roads. A large
sum of money was provided by sub
scription by persons living in the
cities, and other persons who were
not situated at the time so that they
could personally participate, and
the citizens of the respective com
munities donated their labor. i
subscribed to the road fund in st.
Francois county. Under my bill ID
is stipulated that the State desiring
to participate in the Federal fund
must provide sum equal TO the
amount sought to he obtained; and
then any county within such State
desiring to participate in the distri- |
button Of said State fund may by
cash or labor subscription obtain
from the State an amount equal to
the sum SO subscribed in cash or la
Dor.
During the 62nd Congress /, to-
gether with other Members who had
introduced similar Good Roads Bills !
met In conference, agreed upon and
submitted to the House a signed |
providing for Fed
eral aid in road building. The
House incorporated our recommen.
dation in the Agricultural Appro-
priation bill but the Senate struck 1t |
out. III the organization of the
present House we elected q Com
mittee on Good Roads. Hon. d.
w. Shackleford, of Missouri is
Chairman. No doubt there will be
bills introduced on this
subject, but am not in position, of
course, to anticipate with any de-