The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1919-04-24

and for other purposes. approx.
ed July l, 1916, is hereby amend.
ed to provide that the term
rural post roads, as used in sec,
tion 2 of said act, shall be con-
strued to mean any public road q
major portion of which is now
used, or can be used, or. forms a
connecting link not to exceed 10
miles in length of any. road or
roads now or hereafter used for
the transportation Of the United
States mails, excluding every
street and road in a place having
a population, as shown by the
latest available Federal census,
of $500 or more, except that por-
tion Of any such street or road
along which the houses average
more than 200 feet apart. Provid-
ed. That Section 6 Of said act be
further amended SO that The linn
itation Of payments not to exceed
$4,000 per mile, exclusive Of the
cost of bridges of more than 20
feet clear span, which the Secre-
tary of Agriculture may make be,
and the same is increased to $780,
900 per mile.
Sec. 6. That for the purpose
of carrying out the provisions Of.
said act, appropriated out Of any
money in the Treasury not other
wise appropriated, the following
additional sums: The sum Of
$50,000,000 for the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1919, ard avail
able Immediately; the sum of
$75, 100000 for the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1921; sad addi-
tional sums to be expended in
accordance with the provisions of
Said act: Provided, That where
the constitution Of any State pro-
hibits the same from contracting
public debts for extraordinary
purposes in an amount sufficient
to meet the monetary require
ments Of the act of July ii, 1916,
or any act amendatory thereof, or
restricts annual tax levies for the
purpose of constructing and i'm
proving roads and bridges, and
where constitutional Iteration
or amendment to overcoms either
or all of such prohibitions must
be submitted to a referendum at
general election, the sum to
which such State is entitled un-
der the method of apportiDnment
provided in the act Of Jul. IL, or
any act amendatory thel ees, shall
be withdrawn by the Secretary
Of the Treasury from the rinci-l
pal fund appropriated by the act
of July II, 1916, or any act amen
datory thereof, upon the receipt
Of the governor of such State to
tn existence of either or all of
said prohibitions, and such sum
shall be carried by the Secretary
of. the Treasury as a separate
fund for future disbursement as
hereinafter provided: Provided
further, That when, by refer
endum, the constitutional altera-
tions or amendments necessary to
the enjoyment Of the sum so
withdrawn have been approved
and ratified by any State, the
Secretary of the Treasury, upon
receipt of certifcation from the
governor of such State to such
effect, shall Immediately make
available to such State, for the
purposes set forth in the act Of
July II, 1916, or any act amend
atory thereof, the sum withdrawn
as hereinbefore provided: Pro-
vided further, That nothing
herein shall be deemed to pre-
vent any State from receiving
such portion of said principal
sum as is available under it's ex-
isting constitution and laws: Pro-
vided further, That in the expen-
diture Of this fund forlabor pref
erence shall be given, other con-
ditions being equal, to honorably
discharged soldiers, sailors, and
marines, but any other prefer
ence or discrimination among
citizens of the United States in
connection with the expenditure
Of this appropriation is hereby
declared to be unlawful :
In this fashion the Federal
Government has done everything
it can do to encourage the States
to go ahead with road construct
ion, the need for which while
recognized by every progressive
citizen, has been most forcefully
brought to the attention during
the war. In addition to all the
good-road arguments advanced
heretofore, we must now add the
important consideration Of their
bearing on national prepared
ness.