Arizona republican., 1913-03-29

having CtdI St Ol Ilh- ioehu itSioieheiOh in congress invited the convention to l appoint a committee to attend the l meetings of the congressional commit l tee and render such assistance as might be possible For this purpose, | the resolutions committee of the con- Nention was continued and directed | to confer with the congressional com mittee when required. This invita- ton from the committee of congress 1 indicates the true interest congress is now taking in the subject. Many members of congress addressed the convention. all speaking in behalf ot ! national road legislation.
 The history of the growth of good
 road systems of many countries was
 discussed with great fullness by some of the best engineers of the United | States Canada and France. States represented had their engineers pres
 ent to discuss the highway systems of
 the several states and the various de grees of progress made, all of which led to the final adoption of the re- port of the resolutions committee as | above stated.
 While in Washington. the Arizona
 and New Mexico delegations con | lelTeu Nllu li1e UlI tCOpl OI llIS oliiAC
 of good roads The purpose was to obtain the appointment of government engineers to make preliminary sur 1 yeys and cost estimates of road work in the several counties of the two states where found necessary; also such other government road aid as might be afforded. We were most
 cordially and promptly assured by | IDnc 1nt 1rs11
 to be heard, and we could get one or several government engineers to do
 the work indicated. and also superin- | tend construction. ill proper cases. The services and expenses of the en-
 gineers are paid by the government.
 In addition to that, we secured a
 guaranty of $10.000. to be put with
 s20000 to be furnished by Apache
 and Navajo counties on the construC-
 tion of the post road between Spring
 erville and Holbrook, under the super
 vision of an engineer to be furnish
 ed and paid by the government. In
 order to obtain this, we were directed to ask Governor Hunt to forward a request to the postmaster general for
 the $10.000, and I am most pleased that the governor is gathering the
 
 These small accomplishments in | the way of conclusive steps mean a great deal to those who are really in | tereSted The important feature is the virility of interest congress is
 now showing in the subject; in fact, it is apparent that the road senti- ment in every state in the union is so definite and so strong that the l 1DOrS of lnnopr closed against it.
 ! ITO illustrate how directly Arizona I is in line with the sentiment. I re- fer to house joint resolution No ' l introduced at the present session oi
 the legislature by Representative C Gonzales of Apache county. This re- : solution, so far as know. is entirely , indepedent of the action taken bH the convention at Washington, bu } is in marked harmony with it.
 ! Where the subject is well con ! sidered in all the states, including { Arizona, as evidenced by the Con. ] zales resolution. they are coming tt , the one proposition of urging congress } for a national system of highways ! connecting the capitals of the state. ! In all cases, the conclusion is general $ ly reached favoring main or back ! bone roads. It can readily be seel < how practical it is for a state systen S of good roads to connect up with sue { national system; then, in turn, fo ! the counties to connect with the stat ! and national systems as the dis { tributing mediums of these nationa s highways.
 { Tn the past. it has often bee ] argued, though with waning energy ] that the rural and district road ! should be built first
 Upon this subject, MT c. s. Stet { son, chairman of the national grang, { addressed the convention. In his ad ] dress, he very ably argued for mai } roads first. He said
 ! We do not believe that federal ai ! means the appropriation of nations ! funds for local improvement of road { It is certainly wrong to ask natione ! aid to do what properly belongs t { the local community to perform. an { in any good roads movement tn ! state is the unit to which the nun tclpality should look for aid and tn ! state in turn to cooperate with tn ! national government for interstat ] roads and other roads that are { sufficient importance to warrant tE ] employment of national aid in builC ] ing. Any other course is untenabl ] unconstitutional, and basically Wron But We do ask of the men who al ! trying, and conscientiously trying build interstate and transcontinent ! highways to remember the necessit of improving the road from the hon to the city of the man who is pro noting the great basic industry { our country to the end that all u ! people in this great country may u ! tim2teiy be benefited.
 ! Tt is the opinion of Attorney Ger ] eral Bullard that the constitute { does not authorize legislation provi, ing for state bond issue for ros } construction. This puts by the DO ! sibility of state bonds now Owii to this fact several of the count $ have taken steps to issue coun bonds. Mohave county at an electi, { held February 25th voted almo