Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1913-06-28
GOOD ROADS ISSUE
PLAN is TO SECURE BUILDING OF
HIGHWAYS FROM ONE STATE
TO ANOTHER.
PORK BARREL BILL" DENIED
members Declare That Improvement
Would Affect Farming Country
Just as Much as II Will Cities
Railroads Now Favor Idea.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

oy GeORGE CLINTON.
Washington.-Now that the lower
mouse Is certain to have a good roads
committee with large membership.
ali KINDS OF plans are being suggested
oy which to improve the highways of
the country. There are evidences al
ready that good roads to a consider
aDie extent are to be what General
hancock called the tariff. "A local is
sue"
members say that OF course il is
10 De the main plan OF the good roads
propaganda to secure the building of
highways from state to state. continu-
GUS roadways which can be used in
Interstate commerce and thereby
clhch their constitutionaIity." Some
senators and representatives say that
the lntimation that a good roads ap-
preparation bill will be a pork barrel
Oil as the public buildings bill for
years shas been called. is a mistake.
ihey add that good roads will affect |
farming country and small outlying |
communities just as much as they will |
the GILES and country adjacent to the |
city, and that therefore the general
distribution OF the favors" will pre-
vent great opposition from any quar-
ter to good road building. provided it
does not cost so much as to make
the benefits Of less value than the
money expended.
movement Becomes Popular.
The good roads movement i'm con-
gress has taken on a more rapid gait
recently than it ever strobe at before.
once on time there was a strong
leellng among the members of both
houses that good roads legislation was
unless It could be
clearly proved that the benefits were {
10 De nationwide and to be OF large !
service to Interstate commerce. Some c
ears ago southern senator intro j
luced bill appropriating $500, 900 for t
start at good roads construction. r
he maintained that IL the highways p
constructed ran from one state to b
mother, and were used for purposes p
u trade between states. all question S
II the constitutionality of the meas
Ire would be answered. C
This argument was combated by c
ne strict constructionists, who de- X
Jared that it was only another way al
beating the devil around the al
lump" OF
IL Is said that next to the biological sc
urvey the office OF good roads be- it
anne the most popular bureau of the dc
gricultural department. Letters nv a
lie thousands were written from all m
yer the United States to senators tw
nd representatives asking that the Isl
preparation for the Office of good tn
'ads De increased in order that the wi
ork OF the specialists could be ex- er
nded. Congress did vote more to
oney for the roads bureau and tn,
tally, under the spur of the letters
ON the people. members who had
'uoted the constitutionality OF gen.
al roads building by the government WI
gan to study the question, and SEEM ON
ely good many OF them have be- lie
me converted. see
Railways Are Won Over. M
The railroads recently have been A.
King an interest in the good roads =,
oposftion. 1t might naturally be ex. b.,
cted that the railroads would feel -.
particular interest In good roads. thr
cause II they we're to be used for ~
erstate commerce purposes. II
uid seem that they would take NJ
ay business from the rail carriers. nat
railroad men, however, seem to he,
'e come to the conclusion that ~ CO.
% roads are built the Agricultural 81,
get lot OF his products to the 90.
road station for shipment which nh
erwise he could not get there or -
lid not like to try to deliver he n
Sc OF the bad road difficulties IN -,
way. LIN
LENDERS say 1t must not be taken hov
granted that large appropriations clos
lediately will be forthcoming for v.o
roads projects. The senate is com
largely to be won over to the St.,
'e. and moreover an immense vac,
unit OF study will be necessary ~ /,
re a definite plan for bepinnins
work can be developed. II Is ease
'aoie that when the first great presI
ect Is under way there will be cada
ic hearings, and an attempt will com,
go, 'ne views on the sub elect
from the country dwellers par. the
arly. INC INC
sss sno Lobbying. as !,
-. 'ney can be call Goetl
$3.50 . "nicn Senator canal
-. san maze against ice '
oh,a, - |" the erect that high
lobbyist of them ALL" has brought Iieute
minds of a good many Washing. down
and officials too. be;pb