New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1919-06-04
HOUSTON EXPLAINS
FEDERAL ROAD LAW
GIVES VIEWS AT REQUEST OF
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
AND OTHERS.
PRESENT STATE AND FEDERAL
COOPERATION HELD BEST
WORKING METHOD.

Secretary Houston, in response to a
communication from city chamber of
commerce requesting his views regard
ing the creation of a Federal highway
commission and the wisdom Of taking
the Federal supervision of highways
from the Department. of Agriculture
and placing it under such a commits
sion, has sent reply that is of more
than common interest to all oonmu-
mites in the country affected by the
present conditions of roads and pro-
posed plans for the betterment of these
conditions.
Fundamental Conditions.
Having made some Introductory re-
marks Mr.. Houston says in his letter:
Before expressing my views, it might
be well for me to point out certain
fundamental considerations which should
be borne in mind in determining any
sound policy Of highway administra-
ton and development: % The roads
in each section of the country are of
varying degrees of Importance in the
service which they render or may render
to the particular locality, to the State,
and to the Nation as a whole; (2) this
is a big country and the traffic condi-
lions and needs vary greatly from Sec
ton to section; (3) the State high
way departments, being in immediate
touch with local conditions, are best
able to classify the roads properly
on the basis of the economic purpose
which they may serve; az the Federal
Government, under the present Bank
head Federal-aid road act, is co0pera-
ting in the improvement of the roads
OF greatest Importance the classification
OF which is fixed by the State highway
departments; and (5) when this CLASH
ticatlon has been carefully made and
by agreement between the highway
departments of adjoining States, the
roads of first importance generally
meet at State boundaries, and therefore
become interstate highways of Nation
wide utility. The Federal Govern
ment, under the present law, is aiding
the State highway departments in the
classification of their roads on the basis
OF Importance and needs, and Federal
aid is rapidly being extended for their
Improvement of projects submitted by
the States and approved by this de-
partment a
Additional Machinery Not Needed.
Having these points in mind, I have
been made to see the need for the Gre
alton of a separate Federal highway
commission or the wisdom of substitu-
ting for the present cooperative pro-
gram plan which would commit or
limit the Federal Government to the
construction of two federally owned
and maintained trunk lines in each
State of the Union. There was bill
introduced in the Senate of the United
States on February 10, 1919, embodying
these suggestions"
The Bankhead Road Act.
After describing the provisions of
this bill the Secretary of Agriculture
goes on to explain the Bankhead Road
Act, passed by the congress in July,
1916. This law which is the basis of
present plans for better highways pro-
vides appropriations out of the Federal
Treasury, to be matched by equal sums
Of the States, and provides further
that no State should receive any of
the money appropriated unless it has
a highway department with adequate
powers. The law placed the admins
tration of the act in the hands of the
Secretary of Agriculture, in co-opera-
ton with the 48 State highway depart
ments. It was enacted only a short
time before we entered the European
war and its operation was necessarily
greatly interfered with by the disturbed
conditions. There were also certain
features of the law that made it's smooth
administration difficult. After the ces-
sation Of hostilities, with the approval
OF the president, | requested Congress
to make a large additional appropria-
ton to aid the States highway con-
struction and also to make certain
amendments to the law, the necessity
for which experience had demonstrated
Congress, through the BanlShead amend
ment to the Post Office appropriation
bill, provided an additional appro-
priation Of $2O9,0OO,00O, and substan-
TALLY made the amendments suggested. z
Local Responsibility.
Referring to the responsibility. Of
the highway authorities in the different
states Mr.. Houston said: 55 .x
Very properly the Bankhead Act
places on the highway authorities Of