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the construction and maintenance of a magnificent system of highways. 

 Approximately two hmidred million dollars a year are paid by the people 

 of this comitry in township, comity and state for road purposes, and yet 

 we get no roads, excepting in a few states like New York, Pennsylvania, 

 New Jersey and a few others in New England and one or two in the West, 

 Wisconsin and other localities. In my own state the people contribute 

 three million dollars a year for the construction of roads, and yet we get 

 no roads except what nature has provided. There she has been generous. 

 We have the best natural system of roads in the world. I have to say 

 that, because I am a candidate for re-election and I have got to say some- 

 thing about the roads. 



The trouble is we have a small imit and a small road district. There 

 is no centralized authority, no concentrated intelligence, no general 

 direction. It comes from the ground up. There is no one anywhere 

 charged with power or duty of formulating a general system of public 

 highways. Only yesterday I introduced a bill in the Senate designed to 

 secure co-operation between the Federal Government and the State 

 Governments, and to give general direction and supervision, so as to 

 insure a system of national highways. The state is required to put up a 

 dollar for every dollar appropriated by the general government. That 

 is an effectual safeguard against what is known as the pork barrel. For 

 my own part I am opposed to every form of pork barrel, whether it be 

 known as appropriation for rivers and harbors or not. I approve of 

 generous appropriations for the improvement of rivers and harbors, which 

 are actually used in commerce, trade and navigation, but not the pork 

 barrel. I have no penchant for the pork barrel. I am not going to waste 

 the people's good money in the name of good roads. Such a measure as 

 I have suggested will be a blessing to the people of the United States 

 and will redeem our reputation from a charge which can be justly brought 

 against us — one not only of indifference, but of neglect, touching a subject 

 of the highest concern both locally and nationally. 



There are other ways and means in which the Committee on 

 Agriculture in Congress can be serviceable to the farm and farmer. I 

 shall not levy a higher tax upon your patience by proceeding further with 

 the discussion. I may repeat that I have appreciated the compliment 

 implied in the invitation to be present today. I embrace the oppor- 

 tunity with pleasure, I am glad and happy to have met you, happy to 

 have been able to assure you of my deep interest and my abiding sym- 

 pathy in the purposes and in the object of your organization, happy to 

 be able to assure you of my interest and intention to co-operate with your 

 organization and with all other organizations which you can create to pro- 

 mote the advancement and prosperity of the farmer and the farm, which 

 cannot but have a reciprocal advantage on the prosperity of our cities. 



We expend every year on our army and navy the sum of $250,000,000. 

 We spend upon agriculture about $17,000,000. We expend upon the 



