Evening journal., 1919-06-26
TOWNSEND HIGHWAY
BILL FAIR TO STATESI
Michigan Senator Points
Out Equitable Provisions
of Federal Highway Law
WESTERN STATES
ALMOST UNANIMOUS

WASHINGTON. Juno 26.-Following
months Of careful consideration Of thc
original draft Of his Federal Highway
lill and the securing Of the advice of
highway authorities I'm every part of
the Union. Senator Charles Z. Town.
send Of Michigan, chairman Of the
Committee on Post Offices and Post
Roads. reintroduced this important
measure in the Senate again last week.
The bill was originally introduced dur
ing the closing days Of the SiXty-Fifth
Congress and its provisions have had
nation wide attention and consideration
imce that time.
\ few changes have been made in the
bin designed 10 make 10 more comprc-
hensive, more definite and 20 secure the
most equitable proportionmcnt of fed
sral funds I'm the construction nj a Ma
honal Highway System Of interstate
irterial routes. The main provisions
Of the bin remain the same.
Four hundred and twenty-five million
dollars is appropriated in the bin for
the construction Of "at least two main
highways I'm each state and the ap-
portonmcnt OF these funds. to be cx-
pended directly by a Federal Highway
Commission established by the bill. is
Q0w thought 90 De thoroughly salts
actory 10 every state in the Union.
states I'm which title 90 q large per-
centage Of the area is still held by the
national government. as is the case in
several Of the Western states trayersed
by the Lincoln Highway. VIII not be-
handicapped thereby In the building Of
2 through federal route.
In speaking Of This provision Of the
5ill the Michigan Senator said: 81 have
given this subject very serious thought
because any basis of distribution
which did not take into account these
large government holdings would not
only be manifcsily unfair 90 these
States. but would present serious din-
cultics in accomplishing my primary
purpose namely. connected system Or
interstate highways.
"It is perhaps not generally under
stood that unqualified title Is held hy
The Federal Government 90 800 OF ihe
total area Of the United ~i3ics. lnc,ud-
cd in this domain arc national parks.
forests. Indian reservations. basic mate
rial reservations. water sheds. national
monuments and other areas. including
millions Of acres NJ public land.
In some states the federal IS far
larger than the state and private hold
ncs. As example In Nevada the Fed
sral Government holds 600 per cent. of
sIl the land area; in Wyoming 10 per
cent: in Arizona 1i2 per cent and in
Utah 79S per cent. while In six other
Western Stales the government hold
'ncs are SOC or moro.
obviously under such conditions.
States with sparse population and small
taxable areas and generally low in val
ustion as well. could not develop their
highway facilities if the Federal Gov
srnment restricted its own activities by
falling 90 allow credit for She national
holdings.
"To meet this condition I have in
cludcd a provision in my measure
which SAYS that i'm states where there
are federal holdings the actual road
mileage shall be taken as relative and
that the mileage Of national highways
shall be based upon the actual mileage
1lus the same rate OF mileage for the
government owned areas. TO illustrate.
II a state has ten thousand miles of
highway. while SOC of the-area Of the
state is held by the Federal Govern
mcnt. the States share Of the National
Highway system viii bc based upon a
Total of twenty thousand miles Of high
Nay instead Of ten thousand miles. thus
doubling its allotment of National
4lchvays. I should mention i'm This
connection that the general plan of the /
bin is 90 construct a total mileage of
lational highways in any state not tol
exceed So Of the total mileage of high
vays in that state
Western states have almost unan-