The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-08-16
GETTING FEDERAL
ROAD FUND HELP
Some States viii start This Fall Inn
proving Highways With Ap-
preparations From the
National Treasury.
ss5, 100000 FOR USE NOW

Washington office Busy Arranging
Matters Preliminary to tho Dis
tribution Of This Huge
Amount.
Motorists generally are hopeful
that the roads cooperation just es-
tablished between the national gov.
eminent and the several states will
accomplish big step toward the
evolution Of federal system of high
ways which will connect the different
sections of the country as effectively
as the French plan Of national routes.
The most refreshing feature of the
federal aid road act is its freedom
from the faint of pork barrel" COM
ments Chairman George c.. Diehl OF
the good roads board OF the Ameri-
can Automobile Association of State
Highway Officials.
AN automatic check is placed upon
any raid on the United States treas,
ury. continues the road authority,
I'm requiring that the states must
match each federal dollar with at
least an equal amount. OF course,
this means that the state will not
sQuander its money for makeshift con-
struction or repair. The law further
guards against pork barrel by re-
quiring all of the co-opera ton to be
between the state highway depart
ments and the secretary Of agricul-
ture. No political official has any
power over the work at all, and 1t
is credit to the members Of con-
gress to make the state the smallest
unit Of cooperation rather than the
congressional district or the county.
The federal aid road law is funda-
mentally as sound as any measure
that could be enacted, and It's only
weakness, other than those of a
minor character, is in its failure to
require ironclad assurance from the
states that the roads will be properly
maintained. Abundant and beneficent
results should flow from this legisla-
lation during the next few years."
Putting this great new policy into
operation involving an outlay OF $751;
100000 Of government money has
made the q. s. Office of public roads
and rural engineering about the busi-
est bureau now in the government
service. While the federal aid road
law designates the secretary of agri-
culture as the executive officer for
carrying out the act, he will very
largely meet this requirement through
the agency Of the public roads office,
Of which Logan Waller Page is the
director.
First Step Taken.
The first step in getting the work
under way was the issuance by the
secretary of agriculture Of formal
certificate to the secretary Of the
treasury. the state highway depart
ments and the governors Of states,
showing the exact amount which each
state will receive for the first year
of the laws operation. Rules and regu-
lations for the administration Of the
act have been completed in tentative
FORM, and they are to be discussed
with state highway officials at con-
ference to be held in Washington,
August 16, SO all Of the states may
have an opportunity to set forth their
position with reference to each and
every point before the So cretary OF
agriculture adopts and promulgates
the rules and regulations in official
form.
Expanding the organization to In
spect and safeguard the tremendous
expenditure OF federal funds is a task
of no small magnitude, for while the
federal aid act leaves to the state
the making Of surveys and plans, and
the actual supervision of the work,
yet 1t requires Of the federal govern
ment very thorough inspection and
approval at every stage Of the work.
This means that relatively large
re oir ry71rc ho nj ya1
and their distribution SO arranged as
to take care of projects in all parts
of the country with the greatest pos.
sibIe economy Of time and money,
consistent with efficiency. Many an
pointments will be made from an
examination for the position Of senior
highway engineer that closed Aug
ust 8.
"As examples of the multitude Of
details that must be worked cut"
says Mr.. Page, II might mention that
we are called upon to answer hun
dreds of inquiries covering every
phase of the operation of the new
road law. We must establiyn IN ad,-
quate accounting organization for
handling the federal expenditures, and
to keep track of the joint state and
federal outlaws; we must expand Eur
filing system; see that all doubtful
points of law are construed by the
law officers of the government, and
we must work out all of the forms
and procedure to expedite the cooper
alton between the state highway de-
a.t.nents and the department Of agri-
culture. In spite of these many vex-
ing details and the magnitude of the
undertaking. as whole, we expect
-
in at least few of the states before
winter sets in
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