The Washington herald., 1914-01-20
Fight CONFRONTS
GOOD ROAD BILL
twenty-five Million Dollar
Pork" Measure Is Re
ported to House.
WILSON DECLARES WAR
Refuses to Sanction Shaeklefords
Raid on Treasury and Civil
Service Attacks.
WILSON DECLARES WAR
By JOSEPH r. ANNIN.

Representative ShackIeford. of Missouri,
chairman Of the House Roads Committee.
and author OF the s25,0oo00o roads bill
which II is proposed to railroad through
the House as an amendment to the post
Office appropriation bill, yesterday sub
mitted a committee report on his own
bill. Conspicuously and carefully placed
in the report is a tabulation showing just
what each State would receive in good
roads pork" in the event of the enact
ment of the Shackleford bill Pennsyl-
vania would receive OF the SIS. 100000 an
nually authorized, S.62S.75o New York
would receive more than any other State,
her apportionment totaling H,74S,25o.
Under the Shackleford bill each State
would receive a proportionate share Of
the se5.0oo.0oo. based one-half upon the
ratio of the population Of the State to
the combined population Of all the States,
and one-haif ratio of the post roads mile
age of the State to the combined post
roads mileage of all the States This
money is to be expended on a plan de-
vised by a representative of the State
and the Secretary of Agriculture. or at
a fixed rate per mile of classified roads.
With a combination Of patronage
sDoilsmen and good roads advocates
forging steadily ahead toward a meeting
OF issues, President Wilson made II plain
not only of the civil service attack in the
Moon postoffice bill, but that he consid-
crs the proposition of committing Con-
sress to a good roads policy involving an
annual expenditure of ss5oo.090 upon al
most no consideration and without scien-
t:iic investigation of any sort. extremely
Cnwise and not to be sanctioned as far
as he, personally, is concerned.
Points to sharp Fight.
Everything yesterday pointed TO an ex-
tremely interesting contest between the
House and the President II seems prob
able that the weight of administration in
fucnce in the House will be determined
by the first roll-call vote on the legisla-
tive riders to the Moon bill
The President indicated yesterday that
he would lock horns in dead earnest with
the reactionary elements in his own party
rather than wink at bill which at the
same time engineers a mammoth raid on
the public treasury, and deals stern
blow at the civil service. all through leg
islative riders protected by a special rule.
Republicans are planning to offer the
anti-Wilson contingent of the Democrats
every possible aid in the coming fight,
recognizing the campaign material which
they would harvest should the Democrats
succeed in taking from the Treasury S.,
CI0.CC0 4 year on a half-considered good
roads policy. at the same time ripping a
hole in the civil service wall which the
Republicans and Progressive Democrats
have supported. On anything except a
record vote. several Republicans are PLAN
ring openly to support the Moon bill. and
L is possible that speeches seeking to
broaden the breach between the spoils
Democrats and the President will take up
most of the time of the Republican lead
ers when the rule is up for debate.
Final Action Next Week.
The Rules Committee probably will not
take final action on the Moon rule until
next week In the meanwhile a strenu-
Gus effort is under way to bring the
committee into line, eliminate the good
roads feature and amend the civil serv-
future all candidates for assistant post
examinations.
There seems to be no question but that
the real fight will take place in the Rules
Committee. as the combination of zoo
patronage tobs-offered by the civil serv
ice rider-and the 100000 in roads
pork looks like a sure winner in the
House. Many members of the House
who oppose the Shackleford rider admit
privately that the would not dare vote
against it if it came up to them. The
House today will continue considera-
ton of the postoffice bill under general
debate and with special calendar days
this week, the bill probably Will not be
ready for reading under the five-minute
rule before Tuesday of next week.