The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1919-12-20
t. sll.NS.!a
MS g.,

for choosing candn = r'rSl,
Dental nomination thrOts.-Stp method
of direct voting. The first of these pres
idential primaries will be held March
in New Hampshire. From that date
on they will come in rapid succession
until the voters of the twenty-0ne
states have expressed their preference.
In many of these twenty-ohe
states the women have the right to
vote through state enactment. In those
states where they do not have TINS
right they are exceedingly anxious Z"
obtain it in time to participate IN the
primaries. The argument they are max
ing goes To the point that if they are
To have the vote next NOVCmher. Wheh
the presidential election will be held'
they should have Il voice in the choos-
Ing of candidates.
Want a Double Celebration.
The drive on. with the series OF
western conferences behind it, has in
view the definite object Of obtaining
ratification of the amendment by the
necessary three fOurthS of the states by
February II, next year. ON that date
the centenary of Susan Il. Anthony,
the mother of the suffrage movement.
will be celebrated. The suffrage lead
erS say that nothing could be more
fitting than to combine with the cele-
bration in memory of Susan Il. An
thOny celebration expressing graft
tude for the ratification of the con-
Stitutional amendment. The speakers
that are going into the territory that
needs attention are dwelling on the APP
prOpriateneSS of finishing the cOnstitu.
tiOnal amendment on or before the
date of the Anthony centenary.
Twenty states. or two more than
half of the required number to ratify
the amendment. have already given it
their support. The intensive campaign
that has just been started is To be
felt in the far West, in the cen
trail West and in the South. SuffragiSts
feel absolutely confident that the fol-
lowing states will ratify just rs soon
rs their legislatures can get Ia work:
Connecticut, Delaware. Florida. New
Mexico, North Carolina, Vermont.
West Virginia, Kentucky. Louisiana,
Maryland. Mississippi, Virginia, New
Jersey and South Carolina. fourteen
in all. This would bring the total af-
firmative votes for the amendment up
to thirty-four, leaving only two addi-
tiOnal votes To be obtained. The wOm-
en- say they have at least ten oppor-
tunitieS for these votes that will he
lacking under their plan of computa-
tion.
Great Road Building Projects.
The United States has entered on
an era of good roads building. Be
tween July l, 1913, and November
l. 1919. the agricultural department
approved 1915 road projects. in
vOlving the Improvement of 12,159
miles. mt an estimated cost of approx
imately S1S1, 143.G44 OF this sum, APP
proximately 1882. 167 represents fed
eral funds. Since the passage of the
federal aid road act 1927 projects
have been approved. These call for
the construction of 1886 miles of
road at an estimated cost of S225.26I.-
S47. of which about So, 49S 40 will be
borne by the federal government. Graf
flying progress also has been made in
connection with the national forest
n ,ad work. From July l. 1913. to No
vember l, 1919. 20 projects, involving
923 miles of road, were approved. and
plans were completed for the improve
ment of 80 others, aggregating GAG
miles.
During the present and the next fis-
cal year, there will be made available
for road improvements at least $1,000
100000 Certainly few laws. if any. have
produced greater results, either in
terms of expenditures for a good pur-
pose or in terms of helpful legislation
and machinery, than the federal aid
road act. 1t seems clear, in the cir
cumstances, that the principal limiting
factors in the 1920 program will be
those of rail transportation for and
production of suitable road materials,
the contractors organization available,
and the labor supply. The suggestion
has been made that the federal super
vision of highways should beetalssh
from the department of agriculture
and placed under federal Highway
commission. A bill having tbs pur-
pose in view has been intrOd1&ed in
the senate. 1t provides ford f&deral
highway commission of three, each re-
ceiving a salary of $4,000 air.
The commission is given the power
to select or establish the highways to
be comprised in the system after hay
ing requested the state highway de-
Dartments to recommend routes, and
to determine the order in which all or
parts Of such highways shall be con-
structed. reconstructed, improved, re-
paired and maintained. The federal
government is to assume the mainte-
nance of these roads. The commission
IS furthermore empowered to take over
the work of the department of agri-
culture relating to highway transpOrta-
ton.
eThe secretary Of agriculture. Mr..
Houston. is opposed to this plan. He
has said to congress that the legiSla.
five body should bear in mind that
this is a big country and that the traf-
fic conditions and needs vary greatly
from section 20 section; that the state