The Washington herald., 1915-09-10
How to Get the Coin.

Mr.. Bryan would build good roads instead of
battlcships a means of national defense. With
twelve great transcontnental highways the far
mers OF the Middle West could seize their guns
and in their Fords rush across 5000 miles OF
country to the seaboard and repcl any enemy
that attempted landing. 1t is defense plan
worthy of the great mind of the former Secretary
of State. No battleship navigate the Platte
River, which is Mr.. Bryan's ideal of waterway,
and he prefers good road to any body OF water
on the globe. The farmers of Nebraska have
automobiles, and the only things lacking are good
roads built at the expense OF somebody else to
enable them to enjoy life. Ono of the twelve great
highways across the continent built at the expense
of the Federal government would have to traverse
Nebraska from east west and, possibly with such
a beginning, Mr.. Bryan could persuade the govern
ment to build roads feeders to enable the
Nebraska farmers to get good start in their 1900
mile dash to the Atlantic to repel the Germans
2,ooo-mile jaunt to the Pacific to prevent the Japs
from taking possession OF California
1t wouldn't take Col. Bryan's old Nebraska
regiment more than two weeks to make the to
New York or four weeks to get to San Francisco.
providing there were plenty of gasoline depots
scattered along the route. And il, in the mean
time, the Germans with their big guns should
knock over few skyscrapcrs in New York, or
the Japs should clean out the banks in San Fran
cisco it would only be just retrbution for build.
ing these cities on the seaboard instead of on the
great plains.
When such mobilization Of the Nebraska
farmers either coast is possible, why should
the government spend millions of money for bat
tlcships which can't get enough to the shore
to prevent the landing OF enemy should he
get by them at sea? And if the enemy does not
IL. Il.
roads to get to Chautauquas. rain or shine, and
insure Mr.. Bryan good audiences and fair gate
receipts We have about 100000 square miles
of territory in the United States laid out in sec
tions with a road on four sides of each section.
That would provide 100000 miles OF roadway
to improve at the expense of the Federal govern
ment and at a minimum cost of $500 mile there
would be opportunity for an initial expenditure
OF $4,000 ooo, 900 to carry out Mr.. Bryans scheme
and an annual expenditure of something like
S 90 900 900 to keep these roads in repair
After the initial expenditure OF $4,000 900, 900
it wouldn't cost any more to keep up the roads
than it docs to support the navy, and the
money would be spent in the country where Mr.
Bryan's friends live read the Commoner and be
eve that the Colonel is the greatest friend of the
farmers that lived. With the Federal gov
crnment building their roads and keeping them IN
repair, Mr. Bryan could prove that he is the friend
Of the farmer. This SIoo,ooo,ooo for repairs
would no longer be spent in shipyards the coast
or in gun factories for food clothing and
the pay OF sailors and marines who either live at
sea have shore duty somewhere near the water
Mr.. Bryan wants the Federal revenues spent
Nebraska and as the government
engineers have found it impossible to recommend
the Improvement of the Platte River and have
rcconSidcrcd their recommendations for the inn !
provement OF the Missouri River, Mr.. Bryan has !
turned to good roads the one way for Nebraska
TO get a share of Federal revenue