Elbert County tribune and Elbert County banner., 1921-04-15

lacking In nelp1ulneSS or nInuerlnB II
restrictions. The remaining obstacle.
which are the heritance of capitalists
exploitation must be removed and la
Dor must Join management In under
standing that the public which pays, Il
the public to be served and simple jus
tice Is the right and will continue t.
| be the right of all the people.
Transportation over highways Ia lit
| tie less important but the problems re
late to construction and development
and deserve your most earnest atten
ton, because we are laying founda
tion for long time to come and the
creation is very difficult to visualize
in its great possibilities.
The highways are not only feeders
to the railroads and afford relief from
their local burdens, they are actually
lines of motor traffic in interstate
commerce. They are the smaller ar
teries of the larger portion of our COM
merce and the motor car has become
an Indispensable instrument in our po-
litical, social and Industrial life.
There is begun new era in high.
way construction, the outlay for which
runs far into hundreds of millions OF
dollars. Bond issues by road districts
counties and states mountto enormous
figures, and the country Is facing such
an outlay that II is vital that every
effort shall be directed against wasted
effort and unjustiflable expenditures.
The federal government can place
no inhibition on the expenditure In the
several states but since Congress has
embarked upon policy Of assisting
the states in highway improvement,
wisely, believe, 1t can assert a wholly
becoming influence in shaping policy.
With the principle of federal particl-
patton acceptably established probably
never to be abandoned, it is important
to exert federal influence in develop
ing comprehensive plans looking to the
promotion of commerce and apply our
expenditures in the surest way to
guarantee a public return for money
expended.
Federal Aid to Be Guarded.
The large federal outlay demands q
federal voice in the program of expen-
diture. Congress can not justify a
mere gift from the federal purse to
the several states, to be pro-rated
among the counties for road better
ment. Such course will invite abuses
which 1t were better to guard against
in the beginning.
The laws governing federal aid
should be amended and strengthened.
The federal agency of administration
should be elevated to the Importance
and vested with authority comparable
to the work before it. And Congress
ought to prescribe conditions to fed
eral appropriations which will necessi-
tate consistent program of uniform
ity which will justify the federal out
lay.
l know of nothing more shocking
than the millions of public funds
wasted in improved highways, wasted
because there is no policy Of mainte-
nance. The neglect is not universal,
but 1t is very great. There is nothing
the Congress can do more effectively
to end this shocking waste than con-
dition all federal aid on provisions for
maintenance. Highways, no matter
how generous the outlay for construc-
ton. cannot be maintained without
patrol and constant repair. Such con-
ditions insisted upon in the grant of
federal aid will safeguard the public
which pays and guard the federal
oh
which tend to defeat the very purposes
for which we authorize federal expen.
diture.
Linked with rail and highway is the
problem of water transportation-in
land, coastwise and trans-oceanic. II
gest to Congress the additional legis
lation needful to meet the aspirations
of our people for n merchant marine
In the emergency of war we have con
structed tonnage equaling our largest
expectations. Its war cost must be
discounted to the actual values OF
peace, and the large difference
charged to the war emergency and the
pressing task is to turn our assets In
tonnage to an agency of commerce.
1t is not necessary to say 1t to Con
gress, but 1 have thought this to be
u fitting occasion to give notice thai
the United States means ito estab-
fish and maintain a great merchan,
marine.
Our differences of opinion as to {
policy of upbuilding have been removed
by the outstanding fact of our hav
ing builded. If,the intelligent and eff
ficient administration under the exist
ing laws makes established service i'm
possible, the executive will prompt,
report to you. Manifestly our law.
governing American activities on tn,
seas are such as to give advantage t.
those who compete with us for the car
rying of our own cargoes and thos,
which ouObt naturally RI rou1a In