The Detroit times., 1913-04-21

self TO making my plan an aeeo'u
plished fact.
Briefly. the Bourne plan is 10 ienu
the federal credit for the issue ~
state bonds TO the amount Oh . OH
lion dollars. The federal governments
would pay half the maihteM. ice
charges and would supervise the con,
struction OF roads. SINKING Iuhu
OF one per cent. a year would De pro
vided and this with interest com
pounded annually would provide tor
The retirement OF the bonds, WHICH
at the end OF so years. would De can
celled Under the Bourne plan the
state bonds issued AT four per cent.
would be deposited with the iederal
government, which would itself issue
in their place bonds drawing three
per cent. which would be onered 10
The general public Thus the superior
credit OF the federal government
would enable states 10 borrow az
cheaper rate Of interest than they
could borrow the money themselves
Each state would be entitled 10
share OF the billion dollars esttmS,ed
on the basis OF valuation OF us
lands and other taxable property. Its
population and the amount OF roads
already built in the state.
One OF the unique features OF the
Bourne plan is the creation OF
school OF road construction 10 be OPP
Grated in Washington. ID. c., where
Young men could be trained in bridge
and road building The students at
this school would be paid by the gov
eminent. $50 a month. while pursuing
their two-year course OF study. and
the number would be limited 10 one
student for each congressional dis
trict 10 be chosen by the congress
man, as candidates are now selected
for Annapolis and West Point. On
graduation these young men would go
into the public roads service
No less interesting is the way in
which Bourne has provided fGS Cow
eminent supervision without building
I'D a permanent bureaucratic institu-
ton which might be used for political
purposes In order TO dodge the
bureau idea. he has arranged TO ad-
lust all matters OF dispute between
federal and state authorities In road
matters through commission OF
three. TO consist of the head OF the
public roads bureau in Washington
and the chairmen respectively OF the
senate and house committees on post
Offices and post roads. This lodges
the permanent supervision in con
gress where it must respond 10 the
popular will and insures change
from time TO time in the majority
personnel OF the board Of federal con
troll
Senator Bourne has worked out his
plan in great detail. The bill and re-
port fully setting forth the plan will
be made 70 the committee OF which
the ex-senator is chairman al an early
date.
Added importance is given TO
Bourne's project by the TACT that con-
gress is under q very heavy pressure
for some sort OF federal aid for good
roads. This pressure has been stead
ily increasing until at the last session
the Shackelford bill which proposei
a sort OF pork barrel distribution OF
public money TO the various states,
largely after the manner OF river and
harbor appropriations. passed the
house and was defeated in the senate
only after four days OF bitter fighting
At the next regular session, with the
Democrats In control, and with the
old south eager for federal aid In inn
proving its notably wretched roads. II
will be almost impossible to prevent
some legislation OF this character
The Bourne plan Is one which meets
the ideas OF states rights Democrats
and avoids the criticisms directed to-
ward federal control.
Importance always attaches TO any
nlan which the former senator from
Oregon takes up as a special interest
He is an interchangeable propaganda,
ready TO give his time. energy and
money in unstinted measure TO the
forwarding OF the one particular thing
which at the time commands his In
terest Monuments 10 his energy