Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-07-27
GREATER IOWA ASSOCIATION Isl
SUES BULLETIN ON GOVERN
MENT AID FOR ROADS.
APPEALS TO STATE TO
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF LAW
State or Counties Must Make Appro-
priations Equal to Federal ApPor-
tionment-Total Sum to Be ApPor-
toned to Iowa During Period OF
Years Exceeds $2Ooo,0O0.

Des Moines, July 27.-The Greater
Iowa Association has issued bulletin
asking if Iowa is going to accept the
S2,250, 900 which the federal government
offers as gift for help in the construc-
ton of better highways, or, is it going to
tell the federal government that Iowa
has all the money it needs and refuse
the help of Uncle SAM" The bulletin
follows:
Last week President Wilson at
tached his signature to bill that pre-
viously had passed both houses of con-
gress, appropriating $S5,000,00O as fed
eral aid in the construction of good
roads. OF this sum, Iowa's share is
just S2,250000.
However, one of the provisions of
the bill is that this money will not be
available to any state which does not
exercise state supervision of it's high
way improvements. Are the taxpayers
of Iowa going to be misled into urging
the adjustment Of state supervision OF
highway Improvement in Iowa, in the
face of the saving in dollars and cents
of S75000O year. and the further
knowledge that, If they do eliminate
state supervision, they will lose this gift
from Uncle Sam?
We Help Others. .
"Of course, every appropriation by
the federal government is paid ont of
general fund Of the federal govern
ment. 1t is also true that whether o.
not Iowa accepts this S2,250,00 from the
federal government, that we as individ
uals, will continue to pay our share Of
the gift that Uncle Sam. is making to
the other states in the union, which are
developing their highways under prop
er state supervision.
According to the bill. s15O,00o will
be available this year; 100000 the
second year; s450.OO0 the third year;
100000 the fourth year, and $4,000
the fifth year.
The Greater Iowa Association is
anxious to know how much longer the
leaders of the Taxpayers leagues will
demand the elimination of state super
vision of Iowa's highway development.
The association has shown that the eX-
penses of the Iowa state highway de-
partment are paid for exclusively by
the counties in which the larger cities
VI lO"Il S1l Z IoStiltN .lIlu tiltiI iii VI liiC
other counties of Iowa not only do not
contribute anything towards the eN-
pense of the state highway department,
but receive back from the automobile
fund a sum in excess to that which the
automobile owners of that county pay
into the fund.
THE Greater Iowa Association is now
compiling a statistical record showing
II x<<,
the state treasury by each county and
the exact amount received from such
fund by each county. 1t is estimated
now that fifteen out of the ninetynlne
Iowa counties pay all of the expense Of
the state highway department and that
the other eightyfour counties either
pay nothing to, or make profit from
the state automobile fund. Under the
circumstances, and with gift of 81.
100000 awaiting Iowa from Uncle Sam,
the Greater Iowa Association thinks it
about time for all those who are hon
estly in favor of road development to
get together and indorse a progressive
plan of action and discontinue these
efforts to get the road question into
politics, and cloudins the real issue by
characteriZing those who are actively
in favor of better roads and permanent
bridges as either fools or grafters.
1T is now possible to get 365 day
roads, concrete bridges and culverts,
permanent drainage and grading. and
gift of s2,250,OOO from the federal
government, without any increase in
taxes of any kind. How much longer
is political buncombe going to blind the
people of Iowa from doing that which
is to their best interests? 1t is time
| to think"