The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1914-02-13

Of more durable surface, 52,585 miles.
Glass B. All roads built of gravel,
shell, OF proper combination of sand
and clay, 161,79O miles.
Glass c. All improved earth roads
with adequate side drains, compacted, |
with crown smooth surface and well
maintained, 222,513 miles.
Glass A will be entitled under this |
bill to $50 per mile per annum, class
B to $50 per mile, and class G to SIS
per mile. Objection has been made to
this bill because the best improved
roads are to receive the most money.
believe the bill is right. The people
who have expended the most to i'm
prove their highways should receive
more encouragement than the less i'm
proved roads. Federal aid along this
line will be an incentive to build more
of class A roads.
Mr.. Chairman, this is legislation in
the interest of the class who contrib
ute more to the support and prosperi-
t of our country than any other class
and have received less-the farmer.
OF the billion or more dollars appro-
priated annually by Congress very lit
tie of it filters back to the farmer. The
establishment of rural delivery of mail
| admit was great boon to the farm
er. But the city folks had long en-
ioyed this service, so why should not
the country folks have it? They have
been simply placed on equity. Be-
sides, the Postal Service is self-sup-
porting; the people foot the bill for
this service, and all should be treated
alike.
Better road means cheaper transpor-
tation. Cheaper transportation means
cheaper foodstuffs and living. The
farmer feeds the people. What bene-
fits the farmer benefits those who
work in the factory, the shops, the
thousands and tens of thousands who
live in towns and cities. Why i'm
prove the rivers and harbors and not
improve the great highways of the
land over which must be transported
the wheat, the corn, the cotton, the
cattle and hogs, and every article we
eat and wear? The Government col
lects its revenues from all of the peo-
pie and all of the people should re-
ceive the same fair consideration and
return.
voted for the tariff bill last sum
mer, although ] was not in full SYM
pathy with some of its provisions
voted for it because 1T had more good
in it than bad. l could not afford to
vote against an income tax. That pro-
vision alone meant more to the peo-
pie than any injustice that may have
existed. either had to swallow it
whole or reject it. My opinion was
then, and is now, that the farmer was
Disseminated against. The Sheckle-
ford bill will be simply giving the
farmer his Just dues and will square
the account in very decent fashion.
| Besides, Mr.. Chairman, when we
pass this bill we will simply be re-
deeming party pledge made in the
Baltimore platform. We declared in
favor Of national aid to State and To-
cal authorities in the construction and
maintenance of post roads"
We have a President in the White
House who proposes to see that the
Democratic Party redeems all of it's
platform pledges There is but one
thing, therefore, for Congress to do,
and that is to pass this bill. The on
ly objection I have to the bill is that
1t does not carry larger appropria-
tion. But l content myself with it
as a starter. My prediction is that to
the end of time every future Congress
will appropriate for good roads and
the amount will grow larger and larg-
er. France, England and Germany
and other nations are far in the lead
in good road building. There is no
question in this country in which the
people are so generally concerned as
the Improvement of our highways.
Why, then, should not this Govern
ment be required to pay something to-
ward the maintenance of the roads
used every day by the Postal Service
and interstate commerce?
Mr.. Chairman, before concluding ]
want to say "honor to whom honor is
due Who is entitled to more credit
than any dozen members of this Con
gress, yes, more possibly than all 9th.
ers combined for this $25,000,OOO en-.
tering wedge of Federal aid for public
highways-the chairman of the Com.
mittee on Roads, the gentleman from
Missouri (Mr. Shackleford.) 1t took a
Gen. Sherwood to get the pension bill
through the Sixty-second Congress. 1t
required a Dorsey w, Shackleford to
get this good-roads bill SO near a law
The gentleman from Missouri (Mr.
Shackleford) has long been the fore.