Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-01-23
ISSUE CLEARLY DRAWN BE.
TWEEN PARTIES IN PRO.
POSED LEGISLATION.
FEDERAL AID FOR STATES
VS.. OUTRIGHT MONEY GRAB
Report Of Bourne Committee Con.
ceded to Be Greatest Textbook on
Good Roads-Demoeratic Plan Would
Give States s25ooo, 900 Outright,
With One Man Making Division.
Especial Correspondence

, Washington, Jan. GA sharp line
of cleavage has developed between the
two parties on the good roads question.
The republicans as represented by
their members of the joint committee
on federal aid in the construction of
post roads, stand for a scientific sys-
TEN Of financing road construction in
the states. The democrats, as measured
by their representatives on the same
committee, prefer a loose system of
finance and bureaucracy. The repubii-
cans propose-if it Is a correct in
ference that they will favor the Bryan
or Bourne plan-that the federal gov
eminent shall extend only it's credit to
. the states, but in such a manner that
the states can easily pay for their own
construction without the burden fall
ing heavily upon any period or group.
The democrats, as demonstrated in the
Shackleford bill which has passed the
house. will insist upon a straight hand
cut from the United States treasury.
| The interesting fact is disclosed in
the report of the long named commit
tee referred to above, which went to
the senate recently. The committee
created by the act of Aug. "a, 1912,
consists of Ex-senator Jonathan
Bourne, Jr., chairman, and Senators
Penrose. of Pennsylvania; Gronna. of
North Dakota; Swanson. of Virginia,
and Overman. of North Carolina; and
Representatives Shackleford of Mis-
souri,: Gordon Lee. of Georgia: Nc
Giilicuddy, OF Maine; Madden, of I'LL
noS. and Austin. of Tennessee The
committee was given $4,000 with
which to do its work and will return
s14,36947 to the treasurer. Since his
term as senator expired on March 3,
1913. Chairman Bourne has served
without compensation and paid his own
expenses. The report sets forth that
the committee have been unable to
agree upon any particular bill hence
the difference which have arisen in
the committee are based rather upon
questions Of principle than Of concrete
Legislation.
Great Textbook on Roads.
The document is presented in seven
teen chapters. and even the two sena-
tors who failed 20 agree with the con-
illusions of Chairman Bourne record
! that it Is "a great work"eand that II
undoubtedly will be a great text
NJ Madden remarks of the report,
which was compiled by Chairman
Bourne that mo more comprehensive
Information could have been collected.
Senator Penrose says: This report
places In the hands OF congress the
most extensive data have ever seen
on this subject" Mr.. Austin writes:
Il do not believe it can be equalled as
rnf
roads" The several chapters are:
L. Importance of good roads and
federal aid.
2. Desirability of congressional
control.
3. Review of work of this commi-
ttee.
4. Data from foreign countries.
| 5 Data from the several states
8. Tonnage transported over rural
roads.
| Z. Data regarding rural routes.
8. Railway rates on road material.
F! 9. Comparative statistics hearing
upon federal aid apportionment
! 10. Statistics OF wealth. debt, high
way expenditures, etc
| II. Comparative statistics regarding
cost Of highway Improvement
| IL. The old Cumberland road
| 49, Instruction in highway and bridge
engineering.
IA. Synopsis of good-roads bills in
PRODUCED in Sixty-thir congress.
| 10. Record of congressional action
on road bills.
| 16. Table showing comparative sta
tistics on road systems of foreign coun-
tries
II. photography.
Republicans Approve
! When this great symposium was
compiled, Mr.. Bourne submitted copy
of it to all the members of the COM
mittee. All the republicans approved
the whole port, Senators Overmar
and Swanson approved all but some
parts Of chapter % relating to desira
bility of congressional control. two
letters sent to Messrs. Shackleford
Lee and McGillicuddy, the other demo
cratic members Of the committee
ELECTED no reply. Mr.. Shackleford is
chairman Of the committee on goot
roads of the house and author of the
bill appropriating s25,000,000 year ou
Of the federal treasury for road con
struction in the states. which bill ha:
passed the lower branch. Thus two
lsenators have expressed their dis
approval of, and three representatives
all five democrats, have ignored thu
principles set forth In Chapter O
the report, which the republican mem
bers declare to be "of vital importance
to the good roads movement.
The main contention laid down o!
lChairman Bourne and his associates Il
that the vast discretionary power In
cident to so huge an administration a
that of good roads movement Shout
; be exercised by or be under the con
troll Of members Of congress and not Q
: q federal bureau. The report advo
Gates the establishment OF fedora
J highway commission in which congress
: shall be the dominant influence tina
1t may rot be rendered subordtnat
and subservient to the federal bureau
"Pork" in shacklsford Bill.
: ThA real milk in the cocoanut, how
ever, is not so clearly seen until It
c realized that the doctrine or tn
shackleford bill. which the democrat
LOT this committee do not dare antae
lonise, 10 that the federal governmer
. small pour uiicounted millions from y
: Immense treasury into the states, !
2 lbe used by them virtually - the
+ Ipleass in road construction. The ptS
ss s.g 4 4