River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1914-02-19
WASHINGTON LETTER
FROM JAMES A. FREAR, MEMBER Or
CONGRESS, 10th DISTRICT


nounces a new policy of government
aid that will be watched with deep
interest by those who have been sup
porting the good roads movement. Wis
consin Is among the foremost states
in it's laws granting state highway aid,
and under the Shacklford bill which
appropriates s25,OOO,000 annually to
aid the states in highway construc-
ton, Wisconsin will receive $752,500
annually or three quarters OF nil
lion dollars in round numbers.
Government aid is based upon the
roads used for free delivery service
their character, whether macadam
gravel or dirt and the mileage of each
class. Aid is subject to contributions
made by the particular state for the
same purpose and the funds are safe
guarded in an effort to avoid waste.
Eventually this movement is sure to
bring about a betterment Of country
road conditions throughout every
state. Wisconsin contributes it's full
share towards the federal income tax
revenues and it is urged that govern
ment aid for roads will be justified
because of that fact, apart from the
merits of the proposition itself.
On Lincoln Day l was guest at a
banquet given by the Sons of Veterans
nf DicfT i0f PYu0
one of the speakers and gave splen-
did eulogy of Abraham Lincoln, claim
ing that he was of the broad Jeffer-
soian Democracy type of man and that
future generations would recognize
MIN as one of the foremost orators
of the country; whereas he is now
remembered more particularly as its
foremost statesman and patriot. This
estimate of Lincoln's eloquence coming
from Americas foremost public speak
er, judged from platform receipts, is
his judgment upon Lincoln's direct
method of address, appealing to the
heart instead of to the head, his use
of simple homely illustrations and his
plain, concise English. The writer
was privileged to respond to toast
both on this and on the Grand Army
occasion mentioned in the last letter,
when General Miles was the guest of
honor Such exercises are a welcome
change of diet occasionally from the
yard stick" oratory INDUCED in by
the House and Senate over tariff
schedules, currency and trusts.
Snags are in the way for the Ad-
ministration trust program, due TO
the general uncertainty over the best
methods of handling the question. Com
mittees from both Houses are holding
daily hearings at which recognized and
unrecognized authorities give their
opinions on the subject. The bills
will be introduced as soon as the
committee hearings are finished.
A report from the Census office on
farm mortgages has just come to my
attention, wherein it is shown that
farm mortgages in Wisconsin increas-
ed in number from 1890 of all the
farms in the state in 1890, to 51.4%
in 1910. Iowa is the only state which
leads Wisconsin in it's proportionate
number of mortgages and then only
by four tenths per cent. By compari-
son Minnesota and Michigan are 46,3
% and 1920 respectively while Indi
ana and Illinois, two of the older
states, are $3.50 and 39.2drespective-
ly. Even though the report shows
that the proportionate mortgage in
debtedness is only 1890 of all the full
value of the land, it is a subject for
concern to the people of our state
that we stand next to the top in pro-
portionate farm mortgages.
A gaunt, serious minded, sober look
ing man drops into the office every
morning with a multigraph letter,
which replies to printed matter sent
out by the ship owners who are pro-
testing against LaFollette's seaman
bill. Furuseth, head of the Seaman
Union, has urged this legislation year
in and year out and he is now trying
to meet the flood of literature against
the bill sent to Representatives by
ship owners. The bill has passed the
Senate and would have an easy road
but for the unequal contest in which
Furuseth, singlehanded, is battling
against these great Influences, through
the medium of his daily letters per-
sonally distributed.