The Washington herald., 1916-07-12
wilson SIGNS
HIGHWAY BILL
Appropriates Sum Of $75,-
100000 for Rural Roads,
in Five Installments.

President Wilson signed the Federal
aid TO roads bill yesterday morning Just
what this bill means has received many
interpretations by those who speak from
purely private points OF view
A high official opinion is that the law
Will conduce to the establishment of a
more effective highway machinery in
each State, strongly influence the de-
velopment of good road building along
right lines, stimulate larger production
and better marketing, promote a fuller
and more attractive rural life, add
greatly to the convenience and economic
welfare Of all our people. and strengthen
our national foundations.
The same official view Of the leaSHpg
provisions or the law Is equally hopeful.
It follows:
The State and Federal government shall
cooperate in the construction of rural
post roads. 1t seems highly desirable
that the two jurisdictions serving the
same people shall work together instead
of at cross purposes and that the people
shall have the benefit of the Joint
counsel and direction of the best agencies
the two jurisdictions have been able to
devise.
Each State Shall Assent.
Each State shall give its assent to the
provisions of the act
The funds made available by this act
shall be used only for construction or
reconstruction purposes.
For such purposes each State shall put
up at least an equal amount Of money
or its equivalent in labor and materials
1t shall be the duty of the State or
the civil subdivision thereof, as the law
of the State provides, to maintain the
roads constructed under this act
No money shall be expended in any
State which has not State highway de-
partment, and that the Federal depart
ment shall deal with no agency in the
State, other than the State highway de-
partment.
The Secretary of Agriculture and the
State highway department shall agree
upon the roads to be constructed and the
Chara cter and method of construction.
The State highway department shall
submit to the Secretary of Agriculture
projects setting forth proposed construc-
tion; that the Secretary of Agriculture may
approve or disapprove a project; and no
money shall be paid out OF the Federal
Treasury under the act on any project,
until such project shall have been ap-
proved and plans, specifications. and es-
Inmates therefor shall have been submit
ted to and approved by the Secretary OF
Agriculture.
There shall be appropriated out of the
Federal Treasury, amounts as follows:
First year s5,OOOOOo. second 100000
third sl5.OooOOO, fourth S2O,0O0,OOO. fifth
So. 900 900, total $75,OOOOOO.
As the States are required to make
available an equal amount or its equiva-
lent, there will be involved $50 10000 for
cooperative construction work extending
over period OF five years.
Over half the Federal amount for the
five years will go to States which now
have not only satisfactory highway de-
partments but funds for maintenance.
Plans will undoubtedly be set on foot
by the Department of Agriculture. CO.
operating with the State highway agen-
Cies, to secure more satisfa ctory arrange
ments for maintenance from legislatures
in the more backward States. Roards
built with Federal aid must be satisfac-
torily maintained. or further Federal
aid will be withheld
This bill is the result of the delibera-
tion not only of the Congress but of the
officials of the Department of Agricul-
ture, and of the several States. It has
the endorsement of the State highway
commissioners and marks a tremendous
advance over the proposals heretofore
considered by Congress and the public