The Washington herald., 1913-11-30
FARMERS OPPOSE
JOY.RIDERS'PLAN
Contest for Good Roads
Takes an Interesting
Angle.
BUSINESS VS.. PLEASURE
Rural Residents Declare oceanic.
Ocean Highway Not as Important
as Welfare Of Rural Residents.

men are unlnB Up dedlnSl caCn othcr IA
the New Roads Committee Of the House
To see which belief is to dictate the ex-
penditure Of possibly Sc, 10000 year Of
Uncle Sans money on good roads. i
The Roads Committee was organized
by the present House, with Representa-
tive Dorsey Shackleford of Missouri as
its chairman after its perogatives had
been restricted closely In an attempt to
prevent tho creation Of another pork-bar-
rel committee. 1t is empowered to rec
ommend to the House that road improve
r1ents at the expense OF the Federal gov
ernment be authorized. such improve
nents to be appropriated for on the
recommendations OF the regular Appro-
priations COMMITTEES.
"Joy-riders" is the name which has
been given the group OF road enthusiasts
who want the government aid In the
construction and maintenance of a
system OF national. ocean-to-ocean
highways, perhaps 5000 miles In all.
"Dirt road statesmen" believe that
government aid should be directed
toward the small country road. with a
view to connecting the terminals OF
other tranSpoT tation highways-railways
canals. and seaports-wlth rural commu-
mites.
See America First
According to the dirt roads states
men," the Joy riders march under a
banner inscribed. See America first"
The Joy riders charge their opponents
with desiring a little more treasury
pork for their districts. The ocean
to-ocean boulevard enthusiasts claim that
a system of such highways would en-
courage States and counties through
which they pass to build their local roads
and maintain them in better shape. The
other side declares that an improved
system OF general roads throughout the
country. making the market more easily
accessible to the farmer. and the farmer
to the consumer, will be a long step in
the fight against the high cost OF liv-
ing.
Chairman ShackIefoTi is a "dirt roads
statesman" and II is safe to say that
most of his committee are with him TO
scme extent. Mr.. Shackleford wants the
government to aid good roads by paying
from SIS to IS per annum per mile for
all State and county roads traversed by
rural mail carriers when such roads are
constructed and maintained up to speci-
fed standards OF excellence.
Representative Prouty of Iowa. another
member of the committee, favors this
plan, which received the Endorsement of
the House last session In the form of
priation bill. passed the House and was
knocked out OF the bill by the Senate.
Representative Heating of Colorado, an
other member OF the committee, favors
Federal aid through the sale of per
cent of all government grazing and agri-
cultural land I'm the public lands States,
the proceeds from such sales to be
turned over to State highway boards to
be expended. under certain supervision
hNT E.ado Co.
ton OF good roads in the States in which
the land was sold.
Chairman Shackleford calls his a fight
for business roads"
Mr.. ShackIeford Talks.
THE business roads class" he said,
believe that in dealing with roads we
must keep in mind their functions and
the relation which they bear to the gem
eral transportation system OF the country;
that as the harbor is the terminus OF
the river and the railsoad: SO. for prac-
teal purposes, the railway station is the
terminus for roads; that neither freight
nor passengers ever will be carried long
distances over roads as cheapIy as they
could be over railways, and that 1t Is |
an idle dream to imagine that auto
trucks and automobiles will take the
place of the railways in the long dis
tance movement of freight or passen-
gers.
Moreover. the business roads class
does not believe that the proper functions |
OF roads is TO connect the antipodaI |
oceans. nor the distant capitals Of far
away states. but to make easy commu-
nication between the farms on one hand, |
ard dNthe towns and railway stations on |
the other. to the end that the farmer
NAV rERf Ie NJ Iaas 4
and the town dweller may get farm pro-
ducts more easily and at less cost. They |
therefore. favor a general system of
roads radiating from the towns and rail-
way stations out among the FARMS.
The touring roads advocates have
Two plans by one Of which they hope to |
secure some high class See American
First boulevards. Their favorite plan Is
to have the United States, Independently
of the States, build and maintain a sys-
tenn OF national roads. Failing in this.
hey hope to have the Federal govern
nent and the States Jointly construct and
maintain limited mileage OF excellent
across country roads.
Mr.. Charles Henry Davis. president Of
he National Highways Association, esti-
mates that II will cost $4,000 a mile to
,uild national roads, At that figure
'ur entire system OF 2,25oOcO miles would
,ost $4,000 10000. To escape from sucn
/ situation the National Highways As
ISOLATION propose that only a limited
number Of miles Of national roads"
hall be built
Roads I'm Present Day.
what we want is roads while we live
n paper by Mr.. Charles Henry Davis,
recently read a statement indicating
hat his association expect about 5000
niles Of roads to be built. at total
Expense Of MOO. 10000. Now, the Fed
raj government will not likely expend
more than ss5,0oo0oo a year on roads
1t that rate II would require forty years
o complete the proposed 5000. miles"
In offering Federal aid to good roads,
Or. Shackleford expects that administra-
ion OF funds be left largely to State
Ulcers.
ALREADY some Of the best adminis-
rative and engineering talent has been
ecured by State highway departments"
aid Mr.. Shackleford. Differences Of
Innate. volume of trafic and available
DAD material and road funds win require
much variety IN road construction and
pkeep. These are problems for the
tates and their civil Subdivisions. Roads
re local affairs, and their control should
emain with the States and the people in
those midst they are.
ssWhere the States construct and main-
aim roads Of such degree Of perfection
$ to supply the Federal government with .
ighvays over which 10 perform its fune-
l1r. x.-afh an,a h1.-- f.-ltf@., a.