The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1913-01-16

construction of public highways or
post routes.
An opinion was asked on the follow
ing points:
LIST. AS to federal plan upon
which the federal aid should be given.
End. To what extent should the
plan require state or local authorities
to contribute to the amount of money
appropriated; and to what extent state
or local authorities would be willing
to cooperate with the Federal Govern
ment
2rd. On what character of roads
should the amount appropriated by
the Federal Government be used.
4th. Should the amount appropriate
ed be limited to construction or main
tenance, or be given jointly for con-
struction and maintenance. To what
extent, If aid is given, should there
be Federal supervision.
9Th. The submission of a plan
workable for federal and state CO.
operation in construction and mainte-
nance.
To these queries the board gave an
swers in which the entire subject was
covered as follows:
l. Where the people of any state OF
locality manifest real healthy inter
est in good, public highways, and evi
dence the same by raising not less
than $50,000.00 or $100,00O.O0 for the
specific purpose of constructing aht
maintaining good roads, and really de
side and need Federal aid, then the
Federal Government could profitably
join in the expenditures to the extern
of, say 20 per cent or 10 per cent O
the amount necessary for the perfec
ton of the work, and in addition fur
nish an experienced road construction
man to cooperate with the local engi
neer.
In localities greatly in need of high
ly improved thoroughfares, where tn
required amount or necessary fund
could not be raised readily, or raise,
with probable detriment to the people
the Federal Government might prot
itably say to such a locality, if tn
people will agree to and come togethe
, with their labor and teams in stuff
| cient strength and numbers to bull
= in not too long a time specified nun
Der of miles of good road then certai
J Federal aid, both in funds and genera
, supervision, will be forthcoming, pre-
| portioned, of course, according to tn
} number of miles built or to be bui
and the perfection of the work.
Every county or good roads distriC
t proposing to do but not financial
| able to do to perfection could be grea
) ly helped and encouraged by Federi
[ aid, and where the people are nc
, financially able to do at all and reall
want good roads and willingly joi
themselves in sufficient strength an
numbers, the Federal Governmer
could greatly aid and encourage tn
building Of good, public highways.
2. The Federal Government shoul
in every instance require something {
the locality to be helped, and shout
help on a percentage basis, say, flu
nish cooperative supervision through
out, and aid in money to the exter
of aobut 25 per cent or 10 per cent {
the work actually to be done to con
pletion.
Local authorities would most likel
prefer pecuniary aid or roads built o
a percentage basis, and co-operativ
supervision on the part of the FEEDERS
Government.
3. On the main thoroughfares @
roads having to bear the burden c
travel, and more especially rural fire
delivery routes.
4. All appropriations and aid othel
wise should by all means be given couI
ties or good road districts for properlay
ing out and construction of the mos
travelled roads. People once accus
toned to good roads seldom, if ever
refuse or neglect to maintain them
s. Federal supervision should b
given to the same extent that Fedora
aid is given, conditioned somewhat