Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-09-30
SHOWDOWN ON j. s.
ROAD FUND URGED
BY LARGE STATES
Texas Given Much More Than
Share, While New York
Falls Short, Say Leaders.

The .big brother" spirit is working
among the states of the Union, even as
the eldest in a family is oftentlmes
forced to deny himself many advantages
in order that he may help the younger
brothers and sisters through his contrl-
buttons to the family fund. Quite often
the younger children do not appreciate
who is their benefactor and rather arro-
gantly fiaunt their development.
So it is among the states. members
of Congress talk about the paternahstic
spirit of Uncle Sam. They do not give
credit to the individual states that are
| paving millions and even billions OF dol
lars into the general fund. out OF when
some other states are getting more IN
! return than they contribute to the sup
port of their government.
Showdown Is Promised.
When Congress reassembles there is
going to be a showdown and the DIG
brother is going to get full credit: inns
| is coming on the first federal aid Dill
that is up for consideration and several
prominent members from New foTk,
PENNSYLVANIA, Illinois-in fact, from Inc
entire section north of the fotollac
river and east of the Mississippi river
are now preparing their figures.
With the federal aid roadbuilding
act expiring on June 80 next and the
announced purpose OF secretary MeLe
dith to urge continuance OIL ..ls
the apportionment of the $10O,O00,OoO
fund among the states is gong TO De
used as an illustration OF the loao
the big brothera<states are bearing
s5,41O.2S4S74.90. while the federal aid
appropriation for roadbuilding was
500. 0O0.0 900. So that approximately
of all the money that came in as reve-
nue. per cent was set aside for dis-
tri button among the states to build
roads.
Now. New York paid into the gov
eminent in taxes s1.416,9S9, 272.S2. and
on the per cent basis her share OF
the federal funds foIN roadbulldlng
got only s4.971,So3.11, or about one
sixth of her share.
Texas Gets More Than Share.
Texas paid in taxes to the govern
ment $103. 004. 5000. and on the per
cent basis of computation Texas
share of the good roads fund would
have been s2,o60.00o. AS matter OF
s5,861, 1886 for aid in roadbuilding.
or between two and three times her
share. New York got about $4,000
600 less than her share, while Texas
got $3,S00,000 more than her share.
The New England, the middle 1t
lantic and the eastern north central
states received STom the federal gov
eminent for roadbuilding a total ap-
portionment of $31.8S0,S32, while if
the distribution had been made on
the basis of 2 per cent of their paid
in taxes, which is the proportion of
the total federal aid fund to the to-
tai revenues, these states north of
the Potomac and east of the Missis-
sippi river should have received $751;
111.060.
But the apportionment has not been
made on such a basis. The federal aid
roadbuilding fund has been divided
among the states in proportion to
their population, area and mileage of
post roads.
Republicans to Query Burleson.
Postmaster General Burleson, hav-
ing executive charge of laying out
post roads, is from Texas, and that
state got between two and three times
it's per cent share out of the fund.
Republican leaders in Congress are
going to lay stress on that point.
They are also going to lay stress
a population of 100000 people. paid
to Uncle Sam last year s543.s43,646.2s:
New York, New Jersey. Delaware and
Maryland. with population OF "a
900, 900, paid 6,S76.055. and Ohio,
Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and WIS
consin. with a population of 10000
900, paid s1,264.S33,3Ss. These sixteen
states with 100000 people, or one
half the total population of the United
states, paid O55,553.0s0.66. or near
Iy four-fifths of the total taxes col
lected by the federal government last
wear. The thirteen states south of the
Potomac. including Oklahoma ana
Texas, with a population of $4,000. 600,
or one-fourth of the whole, paid $571,-
s15.646.l4. or little more than one
tenth of the total and one-seEenth OF
the amount collected in the sixteen
northern states.