Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-07-18
Georgia Imperative Need
OF Highway Commission.

Under the terms of the good roads bill which
the federal Government will expend among those
States complying with the provisions of the act
the sum of seventy-fve million dollars for road
construction and improvement. Georglas share
of this fund will amount in the aggregate to two
million one hundred and eighty-one thousand
dollars. the first installment of which is now
available. But in order that the State may
ceive any part of this federal grant, either
in the future the Legislature must meet certain
and definite requirements, the most important of
which is the establishment of State highway
mission.
The new law specifically requires that each
States apportionment of the fund shall be admin
istered by a State highway department whose du-
ties shall be clearly defined This point is
phasized by Congressman Gordon Lee who as a
prime mover for the law and member of the
joint committee which drafted it, is an authority
on all its purposes and provisions In his admir-
able interview with The Journals Washington
correspondent, Congressman Lee refers particu-
larly to the following features of the legislation:
First, each State must assent through it's
Legislature, through its Governor, pending
the final adjournment of its Legislature, to
the provisions of the law"
Second, each State must establih, if it
has not already done So a State highway de-
partment"
Third, each State must make applica-
ton, through its highway department, to the
national Secretary of Agriculture for each
rural post road that it desires to have i'm
proved with the aid of federal money and in
this application it must show that the work is
to be done under the direct supervision of
the State highway department"
approves the application, the State highway
department must then make all surveys, plans
and specifications which may be required"
Fifth, if the Secretary of Agriculture ap-
proves the plans, specifications and estimates,
he will authorize the work to proceed; and
from that time on, it will be directed by the
State highway department"
Sixth, the Secretary of the Treasury will
pay to the officer designated by the State
highway department payments on the work
from time to time the Secretary of Agri-
culture and the State highway department
may agree"
Seventh, all communications with refer
ence to any road sought to be improved
should go first to the State highway depart
ment not to the Secretary of Agriculture as
under the law the Secretary has no power to
consider applications submitted other than by
the State highway departments"
1t is thus evident that Georgia can have no
share in the national appropriation for road i'm
provement unless it establishes a State highway
department 1t is only through such a depart
ment that the State seek receive or admin
lister any federal funds for the betterment of its
roads. Surely, then, the Legislature will longer
delay the establishment of competent highway
commission without which Georgia will lose a
priceless opportunity for making its public roads
what they ought to be.
There are no serious difficulties for this State
in that provision of the law which requires
each State to furnish in money, labor and mate
rails amount at least equal to that allotted by
the federal Government. AS Congressman Howari
explains, the State will be given full and fair
credit for all the labor and material which the
Secretary of Agriculture considers acceptable.
Thus it appears that Georgia could use its convict
labor "in payment of its part of the cost Of high
| way construction and maintenance" Further
more local funds from bond issues, county levies
| and other sources may be used as well as State
| money in meeting the requirements of the federal
act if such funds placed under the supervision
! of the State highway department; and it would
| be easy enough to place them there without in
anywise surrenderng the rights or prejudicing the
interests of the individual county.