Arizona republican., 1916-08-07
By CHARLES c. RANDOLPH (Snecial to The Republicanl


 WASHINGTON, August 6.vWhich of the forty eight states of the union will be the first to take advantage of the national good roads law which became effective on sJuly II? Uncle Sam is prepared to do business with the states as soon as they qualify
 There are seventy-f five million dol lars to be expended on state roads by the national government in co-opera- ton with the states during the next five years-five millions the first year, ten millions the second. fifteen millions the third, twenty millions the fourth and twenty five millions the fifth year.
 In addition ten million dollars will be available for improving roads in the national forests, which may be spent at the rate of a million a year for ten years.
 What must the states do to obtain this federal money? How much of it will be allotted to each state? What is the basis of the allotment? Who is to supervise the work of road building? When will the work begin?
 These and similar questions are being asked by people the country over who have not studied the federal road act.
 The new law will be administered by
  the office of public roads and rural en- gineering, of which Logan Waller Page is the director. The law is essentially | cooperative in character. and the pow CTS and duties between the state and | the federal government have been so accurately adjusted that there can be no disturbance of them. At the same l time adequate safeguards for the fed eral appropriation have been provided. | It must be understood that the in- | itiative in seeking federal aid rests with the states. These are the re- | quirements:
 The states must first assent through l their legislatures, or through their gov 1 ernors pending the final adjournment l of their legislatures, to the provisions l of the bill
 | They must establish if they have not | already done so, a state highway de- | partment. They must provide, in money labor and materials an amount | at least equal to the amount provided
 oy the federal government. They must make an application l through their state highway depart | ments to the secretary of agriculture
 for each rural post road that they de
 sire to have improved with the aid o
 federal money, and in this application they must snow that the WOrk IS to D, done under the direct supervision o
 the state highway department I
 special form of application may b.
 prescribed by the secretary of agri
 culture for the use of the states
 If the secretary of agriculture ap
 proves the application. the state high
 way department must then make al
 the surveys. plans and specification
 which he may require.
 If the secretary of agriculture ap
 proves the plans, specifications an
 estimates he will authorize the work |
 proceed. and from that time on will be directed by the state highwa department.
 The secretary of the treasury wi pay to the officer designated by tn state highway department partial pay ments on the work from time to tim as the secretary of agriculture an the state highway department ma agree, so that thestate will not hay to advance the whole cost of construC | ton
 Maintenance is required from the out set. and if the state or its subdivision fail to maintain the roads improve