Arizona republican., 1916-12-03
Approved by U. S. Office of Public
 Roads and Rural Engineering)


 The federal aid road law went into effect on July 1, but before that date the U. $, Office of Public Roads and Rural Engineering had made plans for carrying out the provisions of the law which it is the duty of the departmen; of agriculture. of which it is branch. to administer. In order for federal aid to he granted to any s,ate it is ncces- sary for the legislature to accept the terms of the act. or for the governor to do so temporarily until the legislature has an opportunity to do so. The leg islature of Georgia has passed such a resolution of assent and temporary as- sent has been given bv the governors of most of the states The legal branch of the department of agriculture is now passing upon the legal sufficiency of these assents, and has already consid-
 q those of eighteen states.
 The secretary of agriculture has in terpreted the law to mean that in ac- cepting the terms of the act state, as 2 matter of course, pledges it's faith to ? five-vea~ pro"'am he 'ause tho led . eral government will furnish aid during five-year period. This he regards as important because 1t makes possible the arrangement of r romr-ohc1s'V'
 
 hat the expenditure ot the entire mount of money contemplated under ha act should he planned at the out -et sn fn~ as possible and road svs- ems conceived accordingly. This does not hind the state leg ,slaturc 10 ma le an appropriation at the first session for the five-year period: indeed, this is prevented by the constitutions of some states It merely involves a nledge of tho states faith to continue it's appropriations to match those of the federal government. according to the terms of the act California is tn only state as yet which has met every requirement of the law. Georgia and Maine have complied with all require mentS except the submission of a general program of road improve ments. In Connecticut. New Hamp- shire. Fcnnsvlvanlt Idaho and Lou is;iana. the pledge ef the faith Of the ,tates to match tho federal appropria tions for five years have not yet been given, but is expected soon In New York. Vermont and Wisconsin. further legislation is considered oy their of ficials before the federal cooperation can be utilized In Virginia. where the state highway department has no au- thority 10 submit a state wide pro- ject for road improvements. the pledge of the faith of the state to the terms of the act and the submission of fiVe-year roadbuilding program arc particularly difficult matters to adjust and are receiving the earnest attention of the state and federal authorities.
 The states with which formal negoti- ations looking to early participation ir federal aid have not been carried on arc. Arkansas. Delaware. Florida. H. linois. Indiana. Kentucky. Maryland Mississippi. NehraslSa Nevada. New Mexico. North Carolina. Ohio. South Dakota. South Carolina. Tennessee Texas. Utah Washington. West Vir- ginia and Wyoming Informal cor respondencc shows that many of these states will be in position to talk. ur the subject formally before long The office of public roads has pre- pared Q state highway bill for tho oregon association of state judges, In the preparation of an entirely new road law for that state Drafts Of read bills are being prepared for South Carolina South Dakota and Nevada at the request Of officials oi those states.
 The administration of the federal aid road law has made necessary q reorganization of the office of public roads for the organization suitable when it's duties were mainly research | and technical co-operc ton with road ! builders was not adapted for the ad- d't'nnai work of supervising the ex- penditure oi over Si50.O00.000 of fed eral end state money in all parts oi the country. The director of the of- fec Logan Waller Page. has accord insiy assigned to P St J. Wilson ~hlff engineer of the office the charge