The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1916-07-24


as a whole is the broad scheme and
aim Of government officials with the
AID Of state authorities.
The machinery for cooperative
action Is substantially as follows.
States desiring to secure their share
OF the federal funds will, through
their highway commission or depart
mcnls file formal applications. sub
mlllng the route and character of
roads proposed to the secretary of
agriculture Should he approve the
projects, the secretary of agriculture
VIII notify the state commissions and
the secretary Of the treasury. The
latter VIII then set aside the share of
the United States, which shall not
exceed fifty per cent of the cost. The
secretary of agriculture will order
payment Of the federal funds upon
completion Of the roads and is also
authorized to make partial payments
la construction proceeds
The construction work and labor in
each state is to be done in accordance
with state laws and under immediate
supervision of the state highway de
partmont subject TO inspection and
approval by government engineers.
This leave the states in control of the
construction subject only to insure
good designs.
Selection OF Routes.
Selection Of road routes AS well as
hteir type and structural composition.
Is also left primarily 10 the state Of
ficials subject to approval or rejec-
ton by th esecretary of agriculture.
70 secure a share of the federal
funds, staet legislatures or counties
must appropriate sums equal to the
federal allotments. The act also re-
quires formation Of state highway
commissions, or similar state
agency, to have charge of the states
prat of the work Four sattes. lndi-
ana, South Carolina, Georgia and
Texas have no such cmomissons or
corresponding organizations. but to
secure federal funds they must be
organized Other states have no high
way commissions, but have suhstan-
italy similar departments or agencies.
Where states. like Illinois, are pro-
hibited by their constitutions or other
wise prevented from acting under The
contributory plan, the act
provides that the federal appropria-
tions may become available to sepa-
rate counties when they shall match
hte governments contributions. such
rodas, of course being built molly
within the contributing counties.
Ample Time for States.
To give the states ample time to
build roads and to guard against hasty
or extravagant construction The law
also provides that uneNpended federal
appropriations each year shall be
availbale during the succeeding year
while this year $ allotments 10 states
which have no highway departments
shall be available for three years, to
give state legislatures time TO create
such departments.
For enforcement Of the provision
requiring the states to MAINTAIN the
new roads without federal assistance
the secretary of agriculture is author
lied to disapproye of further roads
projects from such states or their
civil subdivisions and deny further
government aid il roads are not put in
proper condition after four months
notice.
Development of a federal corps of
highway engineers is one of the re-
suits expected from the new law.
Civil service examinations will be
held August for many more highway
engineers needed by the government.