Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-04-30
FEDER RAIL AID
FOR GOOD ROADS
HANGS IN BALANCE
Friends of the Measure Are
Trying Hard to Bring Mat
ters to a Test Vote in Con-
greSS'
.,., eo....,oso.res TO -o,r,ss JOURNAL


washington, April 49, - Fed
ola In roads, insofar as the first
assior Of the Sixty-fourth congress Is
,oarned hangs in the balance, to
aecided by the ability of the
ss,onas If the measure to bring 1t TO
vote.
r. the good roads bill can secure a
,oo.and-nay test. the prediction is
,nads that il will pass by standard
raiority. for there are those who
,nonld hesitate to go or record against
federal cooperation, though not in
clned TO accelerate progress to a
vote.
Naturally the A. A. A. clubs and
members throughout the country are
much concerned over the situation, as
,bev have lent consistent support to
Tho hin nut forward by the American
1 Association of state Highway Off
4 c,als and believe that the Bankhead
hill is legislation which should be
approved and then in conference
merged with the Shackleford bill
which passed in the house.
In the debate in the senate pro-
nounced evidence has been given of
The great growth of opinion for log
ical federal help in the road trans
portation OF. passengers and farm and
manufactured products.
Senator Underwood of Alabama
summarized thus concisely
at has been said here in debate
that the states themselves are build
ing good roads; that there is no me-
cessity for the federal government to
intervene. that there is no require
ment for federal aid Well. that may
be true in some of the great, rich
states in America but even in those
states it has been found that the
state must grant aid. because there
are poor communities in those states
that cannot bear the burder of carry
ing the roads through those commun-
tiles and they must have the aid of
the state in order that the roads may
reach the marts to which commerce
Is going. The same is true as to the
nation, There are many states and
many communities in which, without
aid from the national government or
the state governments it would be inn
possible for them to construct roads.
If your roads are not going to be con
tinuous and go through the poor
communities as well as rich ones, rhtv
Will be of little value"
Senator Gallinser of New Han'p-
shire, the minority leader, thus de-
chred himself
Personally | am strongly in favor
Of the bill the senate committee has
reported as compared with the bill
which came to us from another body
want to give one further word cf
admontion, If | may be permitted to
40 So and that is. if Senator Bark
heads bill is passed in the form sub
stantlally In which it is reported |
trust, when 1t goes to conference. the
senator, with his well-known strons
personality and influence, will see to
II That we do not have bill sent
pack TO us from conference which
provides for building dirt roads all
over the country. If such bin
comes back some considerable time
VIII be consumed, l assure the sena-
'or, II some Of us are alive"
y reply Senator Bankhead said:
IAN ran say "a tha son.+or -,
,nat point is that I am in favor If
'"is bill' and | shall. of course, if il
goes to conference. insist upon its
main provisions. inasmuch as The SEN
ate Will have instructed me to do that
When the bill has been passed"
Senator Harding, OF Ohio. after
having explicitly stated that he would
support the pending measure. put for
ward this frank viewpoint:
Much of this good roads talk is of
rather far-fetched character. Al far
as me name is concerned. 7 dc not
nositate to say to the distinguished
chairman of the committee that wo
are not appropriating this money TO
encourage the building OF postro7 ds
out in Ohio we call Them marpet
roads, and We do not mean anything
seriously by that. The truth about II
is That the good roads movement is
me reflection Of the automobile age.
we are building highways because IN
mainly is on wheels nowadays. and |
'oaos must be built to meet the re- |
qulrements."