Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-07-25
Why This TreacherouS Delay
On the State Highway Bill?

Highway Commission bill, Georgia will lose
its two million dollar part of the federal
good roads fuad. 1t is unthinkable that any
having spark of loyalty for the Common
wealth would seek to delay cucumber a meas
ure of such vital import to the people. Yet, it
is reported that certain State House officials in
Guiding members of the Prison Commission, with
a magnifed sense of their privilege and i'm
portance are seeking block this urgently needed
legislation because it is fashioned their self
advantage
Are the interests of all the counties and all
the taxpayers in Georgia TO be sacrificed to the
personal interest personal pride of a clique of
jealous ofhceholders?
Shall the Prison Commission be allowed to rule
ruin the richest opportunity for highway develop
ment presented to the State?
Shall a fund of two million dollars and more be
thrown away merely because voracious poll
ticians insist that they or no one shall be given
charge of its administration?
If that is the attitude of the Prison Commission
or any other lordIngs the capitol there is need
of a drastic house cleaning; and the public, whose
rights and interests are being trihed with, will
seize the first opportunity to apply the mop
Under the terms of the good roads bill which
Congress recently passed. the federal Government
will expend among those States complying with
the provisions of the act the sum of seventy-hve
million dollars for road building and improvement.
Georgia's share of this fund amounts in the aggre
gate TO two million. hundred and eghty-one
thousand dollars the first installment of which is
now available and has been since July the first.
But in order that the State may receive any por-
ton of this grant, either in the future, IT
must meet certain definite requirements, the most
important of which is the establishment of high
way commission.
Without such a commission the State will not
be eIigible'to a penny of the fund which Congress
has appropriated and the first allotment of which
is ready for distribution. The national law clearly
prescribes. according TO Congressman Howard, one
of its joint authors that each State must make ap-
plication, through its highway commission, to the
national Secretary of Agriculture for each rural
post road which it desires to have improved with
the aid of the federal money, and in this applica-
ton must show that the work is to be done under
the direct supervision of the State highway depart
ment," Further:
The State highway department must make
all surveys, plans and specifications which
may be required. II the Secretary of Agri-
culture approves the. plans. specifications and
estimates. he will authorize the work to pro-
coed: and from that time on it will be directed
by the State highway department. The Sec
rotary of the Treasury will pay to the officer
designated by the State highway department
payments on the work from time to time,
highway department may agree. All COM
munications with reference to any road sought
to be improved should go first to the State
highway department, not to the Secretary of
Agriculture, as under the law 1.-THE Secretary
has no power to consider applications SUBJ
mitted other than by the State highway de-
partment."
There is no installing these provisions. They
make the establishment of a State highway depart
ha hfOhuv ia
partment in fact and in deed special department
administered by men who have the time and the
ability TO discharge its duties-not a prison COM
mission or a political junket. The friends of good
roads in Georgia not narrow partsans of any
particular bill: they will be satisfied with any
measure which adequately the situation.
But they do insist uncompromisingly upon high
way commission that will conform to the letter and
spirit of the federal act and be composed of men
who are more concerned with efficient service than
with the power and perquisites of office.
II is inexplicable, on grounds of fairness rea-
SON why anyone should oppose such bill. If 1t is
not worth Georga's while TO establish a competent
highway commission in order to get more than
two million dollars for road improvements, then
nothing which the State can undertake is worth
while Two million dollars efficiently expended
will go far toward developing a system of inter-
county highways throughout the State. II will en-
hance the value of farms. facilitate the marketing
of crops. quicken the trade of towns. bring the
rural school and church nearer the rural home,
and enrich every field of the peoples business and
social And yet, because of the antagon-
ism of a knot of seIf-seekng politicians week after
week of the Legislative session has passed without
action on this a-important issue. The State is In
danger of losing priceless opportunity merely be-
cause a ring of mulishly Opinionated oficeholders
are bent upon having their way. and are pulling
their puppets in the General Assembly.
Let no one deceive himself into fancying that