Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-06-27
SUGGESTION MADE THAT CANAL
BUILDER BE EMPLOYED TO
BUILD HIGHWAYS.
PROBABLE BOURNE bill WILL
BE FAvcRAsLY REPORTED
Plan to Have Federal Government
Lend States Its Credit and Thus Sc
cure Cheaper Money For Perm anent
Roads Received With Favor-swan-
son Plan Somewhat Simpler.
Especial Correspondence

Especial Correspondence
Washington, June 27.-After Gen.
George w. Goethals gets thru the con-
struction of the Panama canal and sets
it to operating, he may be called on to
tackle the good roads problem. This
is a suggestion emanating from Sem
ator Weeks. Of Massachusetts. he
would like to see General Goethals
made chairman or engineer member OF
a federal good roads board.
Senator Weeks is one of the senators
now giving serious thought to the gooo
roads problem before the senate post
office committee. 1t is quite likely that
ont OF the committee will come recon-
mendations for legislation which Will
bear results. The committee has two
bills before it. one by former Senator
Bourne OF oregon, the man VINO
solved the zone system, parcel posi-
and the other introduced by Senator
Claude Swanson, Of Virginia lndica-
lions are the Bourne bill, or something
like it. will be reported.
Features Of Bourne Bill.
The Bourne plan would have the fed
eral government lend to the states ITS
credit and thus secure cheaper money
Tor road building than would otherwise
be possible. The government would sen
its bonds and loan the proceeds to the
states. II would take as security state
bonds bearing q higher rate OF interest
The state would get the advantage OF
the lower rate at which the tederai
government could borrow and the eA-
cess received by the federal govern
inent over the amount needed 70
meet ths interest on lis oonos
would be used as sinking tuno
Cor extinguishins the principal H.
say fifty years. II the federal govern
,nent borrowed the money Tor per
cent and the states 70: per cent, the
! per cent per aTnum would De useo 20
produce the sinking fund. Or, II .ne
federal government borrowed Tor ana
the states for ). there woGia De per
cent per annum for the sinking iund.
/. is estimated by Senator Bourne
that a billion dollars could be raised
BIZ this plan and apporiioned among
the states in proportion 10 popalatioh'
assessed valuation and road miiease.
The money derived from sale OF feoeral
bonds would be turned over TO STATE
highway commissions for expenditure.
The Bourne plan also makes provision
for aid in road maintenance.
Swanson Plan Simpler.
The Swanson plan is the much SIM
pier one OF appropriating s25.0Oo,ooo
rom the federal treasury TO De appol-
toned among the states. Half the cost
oil M
no borne by the state. The objection
10 this bill is that 1t does not clearl.
define how the work is to be carried
on, tho there is general provision for
co-operation between federal and state
governments. In fact, under neither
the Bourne plan nor the Swanson oiil
would the federal government have real
control over the expenditure OF the
money or the construction of the roads.
Tho Bourne bill does something In
this direction by providing for a United
states highway commission TO discourse
the United States highway fund. II the
commission finds state is not efec-
,iyely spending its maintenance money,
the treasurer Of the United States may
withhold further funds. The commas
sion is required TO maintain in the DIS
trict of Columbia school for special IN
struction in practical highway ana
bridge engineering.
The committee on postonlces seee
much good in the Bourne plan. tho
there are some objections raised TO IT,
| One objection to both plans Is that the
| supervisory power given the feoerai
| government is not adequate. A diHl-
Guilty with the Bourne plan is tnat
| .wenty-one states would have 10 amenu
| their constitutions in order 10 Issue
! bonds for highway purposes. FEAR tha'
/ any plan evolved may open the ooor
! to huge scheme OF grating on the led
! eraI or state treasures is one OF the
! large obstacles in the way of leslsia-
/! ton. tho there is not much doubt con
| eress is going before long to pass some
| sort of good roads measure.
Wilson Not Interested.
Senators feel that even with the
! chance that much may be wasted IN
the process, the highways of the coun-
try should be developed rapidly. Pres
| ident Wilson apparently has given
(, little or no attention to the good ROADS
problem, but he realizes that it ID ONT
to be met and that he can hardly pre-
vent mis- party from voting appropri'
atoms for road building within thu
next two years.
! Senator James K. vardaman. OF Mis-.
sissippi is one of the good roads en-
thus;asts and is working studiously tt
help get out a good bill. He knows
what road conditions are in Missis'
!, sippi-indeed. every day he convulse'
his colleagues with new stories o.
what these conditions are.
i 1t appears, according to Vardamah
that a man was walking along thu
sidewalk in a small town during tn
muddy season when he caught sight
hat lying in the street. He stepped
toward the hat and lifted it and boy
face peered up from under.
well, son, you appear to be haVin'
pretty hard time of It," exclaimed
the astonished citizen.
"Oh, am all right. returned the boy
but the mule under me is having
devil of a time"
Vardaman was campaigning once n
says. when his horse got stuck In
muddy road. A farmer came along AM
) helped him out and the senator. thei
. governor of Mississippi, inquired hov
far it was to the next town.
Sixteen miles replied the farmer.
rs the road as bad as this all tn