Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-07-05
HIGHWAY MEASURE
AND EXPENSE PROBE
FEATURE ASSEMBLY

| TIC NGO- 1SS AioNS lPAS
| duced two measures Of outstanding
Importance among the raft of bills
| introduced.
One of these, which embraces sew
| eral bills by different authors, is the
proposal to abolish or practically
abolish the state highway depart
ment.
The other is the proposal to create
a joint committee of the senate md
house to make a general investiga-
ton of expenditures in all depart
ments and institutions of the state,
to recommend reductions where they
seem necessary, to recommend in
creases where they seem to be war;
ranted. to study the revenue laws of
the state, and in general to devise
ways and means of placing the
finances of the state on a good, sound
footing
The bills directed against the state
highway department differ more in
detail than in substance. One gen.
eral idea runs through them all,
which is the idea of taking away
from the department the motor We
hicle fund and distributing it among
the several counties to be expended
by them as they see fit.
There is nothing new in this pro-
posal. 1t was put forward in the 1919
session when the highway laws were
passed, and was then defeated be-
cause a majority of the house. and
senate were unable to see how a state
highway system could ever be con-
structed without a state highway
fund. They did not believe that any
highway fund apportioned among the
counties, no matter how large 1t
might grow from year to Year, would
ever be the means of constructing a
state highway system linking to-
gether all county seats.
In the 1920 session the minority
Who insisted on county distribution
came back again and renewed their
fight with the Knight resolution, and
again were defeated.
Those who believe in preserving
the status of the motor vehicl" fund
and leaving uncurtailcd the author
ity of the highway department ana
allowing the construction of the
state highway system to go forward
unhampered, appear to be as strong
in this legislature as they were in
the last, if not stronger.
These members of the legislature
assert that a distribution Of the mo-
tor vehicle fund among the counties
would seem to give them money
which they do not now receive, bu.
in reality would cut them off from
federal aid and thereby take away
from them at least 81 for every dol
lar it gave them.
AS to Overhead Expenses
AS to overhead expenses in the
highway department, which is a
point of criticism on the part Of leg
islators demanding the practical
abolition Of the departments author
ity and funds, w. r. Neel, state.
highway engineer, has Informed
Governor Hardwick and numerous
members of the legislature that the
departments overhead expense has
been less than 6 per cent, and that
this is the lowest of any highway de-
partment in the country, with one
exception, Rhode Island, whose over
head is about the same as Georgia's.
He will further assert that the
federal government and Georgia
counties, working in cooperation,
have supplied more than $15,000,000
of the total sum of $1S,000,000 ex-
pended by the department in the
eighteen months of it's operation, and
that both the government and the
counties are entirely satisfied with
overhead expenses, with the location
and character of the roads construct
ed, and with the general status of
state highway work as it stands to-
day.
I'VE are ready to meet any criti-
cism made of the department." said
Mr.. Neal Saturday. I'VE will an
swer every criticism with facts and
figures, and will be able to show con-
clusively that interference with the
funds of the department, or curtail-
ment of it's powers, would ~immedi-
ately cut off Georgia's share of fed
eral aid, which would mean a loss Of
millions of dollars"
Senator Manson's resolution pro-
viding for joint committee TO make
general investigation of expendi-
lures and finance has passed the
senate and gone to the house, wnere
1t awaits action. An Identical reso-
tuition introduced in the house by
Representative McMichael of Marion
also awaits action. One or the other
will be taken up Tuesday in all prob
| ability.
Two important events are sched-
u4ed this week in The legislature.
one is the announcement by Speaker
NELL Of the standing committees Of
the house. and the other is Governor
HardWlck's address to be delivered in
person to the house and senate in
Joint session, regarding state
| finances.
Committees of House
| Speaker Neill's committees are I'M
| derstood to be ready for announce
ment, with possibly a few last-mir-
ute changes He intends to give them
70 TO tne mouse and the newspapers on
| looms DuBose of Clark, a veteran
legislator. will head the house com
mittee on appropriations, with which
mas been merged the ways and
| means committee for the purpose of
coordinating revenues and expendi-
| lures. Representative Landlord of
looms will head the constitutional
amendments committee. Represent.
ative Woodward of Cook will be
chairman chair Of the influential and pow
ing the final seven DAYS OF the ses-
sion will pick the bills to be put be-
| fore the house.
Governor Hardwick's appearance
before the house and senate will be
| the first Of a series. On this first
occasion he will discuss the aIl-im