Crossville chronicle. [volume] (Crossville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1919-02-12
ROAD BUILDING IS
GIVEN BIG BOOST
Post Office Bill Passes Senate Carrying
S200,000,OOO, Which Means A.
most 100000 for Tenn;
Equal Amount byState

Last Saturday the United StatsI
Senate passed the postoffice bill, which
carried an approp iatlun of two hun
dred million dollars to be expended
within the next five years for roa(
building in the several states, provided
each state, by counties or as state,
appropriated like amount. No fears
are entertained that the House will
tail to pass the measure.
Senator Mcclellan, speaking on the
subject, said:
81 wish especi lily to "all to the at
teution Of our COVER or anu the ZEN
neSsee legislature The apprOpl tatiOh
of $500, 100, 700 for road building 10 the
states made in tie postotfiee appio-
prlation Dill, and passd by the senate
last Saturday night. This trem epdous
sum of money is to be expended upder
the Federal road act passed 10 1916,
the present law. The states or sub
divisions thereof must put up a like
amount. Roughly speaking, lennes
see will get in the ensuing three years
about the sum OF $1,000, 600 from this
appruprlati n. Ir order to get il,
how ever, 81 must ange far another
81, 600, 600 t Dc Ialse1 by the state and
the several unties thereof. The ex-
pendituIe l2i ihe next three years of
S14, 000.O00 FIR road building In our
state will he of inestlmable value to
our people. We must take advantage
or the truly gvtucu OPrasfnnitu- far
BUILDING up the roads Of Tennessee.
sf1othina - of more vital iDpor-
tance tu us. X will be necessary for
the legislature to pass all proper end
needful legislation governing this pro.
ject. Our returning soldiers must be
given work on the various projects,
wherever they want it. This road
bulldog will insure US that there will
not be manv idle hanGs in our state.
If necessary, convict labor may be
used as a part of the states approprl-
alton. 1t is more humane to work
these convicts on the roads any way.
However, proper safeguards should be
made that convicts shall not be
brought into competition or contact
with any other classes of workmen.
I feel sure that proper plan can De
worked out by our legislative authorl-
ties.
REQUIRES TALENT.
"Ths project is going to require
good financing on the part OF our gov
ernor and the legislature, but am
sure Gov. Roberts. active. vigorous
and level headed as he is, and the pre-
sent progressive legislature. will &C.
the task. Every safeguard
mast be taken to insure that the work
will be honestly and economically
dune, and the roads must be built so
that every part of our state II ay be
treated fairly anu equit4 bly,. 1t is a
great opportunity, and ore that W
must take ad antage If il to limit. |
The people 0 Tennessee may 10
call that one Of the hrst bills | intro
duced into the house alter | became a
member Of at body, was bill pro-
vi in Tor Frasr all to the 70 II
One Of the hIaG speeches | made there
was made on that subj ct. We, VINO
believed In the principle ef Feneral
aid to roads, we're laughed at then, |
but we kept up the fisht and the law |
Just passed is the fruition of the views
that we then enter aimed and low en-
teitain, namely, that it is the DUTY Of
express grant of power, to build post
rnads, aid the states in such man
ner that there shall be gUou roads in
every part OF our common county,
Shouli the legislature take steps to
make our state come within the provi-
sions OF The act, it would insure the
com plelion of the Memphis-to Bi Biistol
highway in q substantial manner. It
ls hard to estimate what good would
come from the expenditure Of $l4, QUO, I
BOO in road construction in the stale.
The ben. fits, both in good roads and
for our people, would be
almost incaculable.
T.