Weekly journal-miner., 1921-01-19

such objection, could be formulated The Fourth State Legislature enacted soldiers settlement act, but its operation was contingent upon con gress adopting the Lane or some bil tof similar purport. As congress fail cd to do its part, the Arizona law has served no other purpose than to en- cumber the statute books. Although there is no direct, there certainly i> an implied obligation on the part ot the State of Arizona to reward in a substantial way the men whose val Orous representation made possible the peace and blessings we enjoy to- day. 1 woald therefore urge that your earnest consideration be giver to this recommendation.
 The Road Problem
 There IS a remarkable unanimity oi sentiment existing as to the neces- sity of good roads but a wide diverg- cnce of opinion, however, as tc whether the supervisory authority not only as to routes, but cxpendi- lures, should be vested i'll the state engineer, or a commission. My views on the subject were placed before the last legislature in the following Ian guagc:
 T would suggest that the full
 control of our state highways be
 placed in the hands of a road
 commission consisting of five
 persons serving without pay. The
 term of office should be five
 years, the appointments being so
 regulated that there would be
 only one member of the board
 changed each year. This would
 insure permancncy of the com
 mission and would free 1t from
 the possibility of having its plans
 and organization changed at each
 gubcrnatorial election. The com
 missioners should ! employ the
 state engineer and have full au-
 thority over the state highway
 department, thus taking that ap-
 pointment out Of politics. The
 salary of the state engineer
 should be fixed at figure in
 suring the best road engineering
 talent available"
 Senate Bill No. Y, you will recall. was passed and handed to me for ap- proval. The main features of the measure were good Had there not been incorporated therein q provision divesting the executive of his prerog- ative of appointment, but at the same time holding him responsible for the efficient conduct of the department no hcsitancy on my part would have been manifested ill signing the bill.
 It was then, and still is a source of regret to me. that the attitude as sumed was that politics should out weight the best interests of the state. All Overtures on my part to secure constructive legislation of this char acter were ignored, and I was com pellcd to veto a bill which, eliminat ing its one main and several minor objectionable features, would have at least given the opportunity of putting it and the principle involved to the test
 The record of accomplishment dur ing the past two years in road con- struction is notable one and com with the progress made in other lines. of public cndcavor and general progress. A large majority of the counties, alive to the economic of good roads through bond issues, co-operatcd with the highway department Federal aid in q large amount was secured. thus for the first time taking of the offer of the federal and through its financial assistance adding to an apprcciablc extent to the mileage constructed. IL. is not necessary, except in broad, general way, to cite details, these be- ing available to your body in the bi-! cnnial report of the state engineer. As I said two years ago, the only answer to the criticisms then so free ly offered as 10 my veto action would be roads. That answer Il