The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1916-01-27
BIRNES PLEADS ROAD BILL.
South CarOlinian Urges Federal Aid.
Must Work Together.

Washington. Jan. , 2l.-RepreSenta-
tive Byrnes today addressed the
house advocating the passage Of the
road bill authorizing an apprOprla-
ton of 1000, 900 TO be used in CO.
operating with the States in the con-
structiOn of roads.
He answered criticism Of Repre-
sentative Walsh, Of Massachusetts
that the bill Disseminated against
the New England States. in that they
already had built good roads, and
that under the provisions of the bill
they would receive but a small por-
ton in proportion to the amount that
they had contributed to the federal
funds, by the statement that Boston
and New York and the other great
cities of the East we're dependent
upon the South and West, in great
measure. for their prosperity, and
that by reason of the increased use
of automobiles the road problem was
no longer local one. the use of roads
not being confined to adjoining land
owners, but extending to owners Of
automobiles who lived in other coun-
ties and States, and contributed moth
ing to the roads over which they
Travelled in their machines
He explained in detail the provi-
sions Of the bill, stating that it re-
Quired that every State by 1920
should have highway commission
if it expects TO participate in it. and
that South Carolina today had no
such commission.
He said he favored the bill because
it was impossible for the United
States government to cooperate with
any unit smaller than the State; that
it was required before aid could be
given to a road that plans and speci-
fications of the road should be pre-
sented to the secretary of agricul-
ture. and that it was impossible for
the counties of the various States to
have in their employ engineers who
could prepare these plans and the
only way in which it could be made
practicable would be for the States
to have engineers in their employ
who could do this work for the coun-'
ties
He argued that if the United States
government was forced to keep ac-
counts with the 1000 or more coun-
ties or 10000 townships of the Unit
ed States, most of the fund would be
consumed in salaries to bookkeepers
and never would reach the roads:
that under the provisions of the bill
a State like South Carolina would re-
ceive S450.0O0 and it would be left
to the State instead of to the secre-
tary of agriculture to say where the
roads should be built, and this pro-
vision also made it possible for the
work to be done under the laws of
the State instead of the laws of the
United States, and did not give to the
United States government any jurls-
diction over the road after it was
built.
He declared that if the highway
commission of State was arbitrary
in it's action. the people of the State
could remedy it at the next election,
but if it we're left TO the secretary of
agriculture, and he should, through
lack of knowledge of local conditions,
or for other reasons be arbitrary in
the selection of the roads to be I'M
proved, the people Of the State would
have no remedy. and therefore. the
requirements that State in order to
participate should have a highway
commission would be beneficial in
stead of injurious to the State. he
in the Union having no such COM
said that there we're only five States
MISSIONS and without such provision
it was impossible for the bill to pass.
He called attention to the fact
that the Democratic platform declar-
ed in favor Of federal aid to the
States in the construction or roads.
and called upon the party to redeem
its pledge.
BURNS PROVE FATAL.