Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1921-05-27
MAY CONTINUE
FEDERAL ROAD AID


tinued Federal cooperation with the1
states in building highways, based |
on roads Interstate in character and |
maintained by daily care with state |
funds.
AS tho servants of the people who |
pay the taxes, whether thought |
state of federal funds, charged with |
the proper expenditure of these |
funds despite pressure from petty |
local interests or from those who |
would build only certain kind of
road or limited to a mileage to gain |
some personal end, these men have
for months been seeking for a sane
middle ground of a constructive
character upon which the state and
federal governments can establish a
permanent policy.
Last week tho executive commit
teo of this organization of state high
way officials spent several days per-
fecting a bill which has been under
general discussion for some time. At
ter personal consultation with Presi-
dent Harding, Secretary Wallace,
Congressman Dowell, ranking mem
ber of tho roads committee of the
House, and Senator Townsend, chair
man OF the post roads committee of
tho Senate, they have submitted to
tho Congress a bill which they be-
lieve meets not only the present con-
ditions, but is also forward looking
and will make operative a system not
only to market the crops but to aug
ment' tho transportation facilities of
interstate commerce and aid in the
national defense.
Conserve Federal Funds
Accepting as fixed policy Presi-
dent Harding's statement in his mes
sage that:
with the principle of federal par
tiqipation acceptably established,
probably never to be abandoned, it is
important to exert federal influence
in developing comprehensive plans
looking to the promotion of COM
merce and apply our expenditures in
the surest way to guarantee a public
return for money expended"
They proposed that:
"In approving projects to receive
federal aid, the secretary of agricul
ture shall give preference to such
projects an will expedite tho com
pletiOn of an adequate and connect
ed system of roads, interstate in
character. Before any projects are
approved, each state, through it's
state highway department, shall Sc
lect or designate not to exceed seven
per cent of the total road mileage
of said state as shown by the rec
ords of the state highway depart
ment at tho time of the passage OF
this act. Upon this system all fed
eral aid apportionments shall be ex.
pended. Roads which may receive
federal aid shall be divided into two
classes, one Of which shall be known
as primary or interstate roads anC
shall not exceed three-seyenths of the
III ~ u
eral aid, and the other Of which shall
be known as secondary or inter
county roads, and shall consist o
tho remainder of the mileage which
may receive federal aid. The secre
tary of agriculture shall have auth
ority to approve in whole or in par
the systems as designated or to re
quire notifications or revision
thereof. Provided, that the state
shall submit to the secretary of ag
rieulture, for his approval, any 0
the proposed revisions of the desig
mated systems of roads above pre-
vided for. Not less than sixty pc
cent of all federal aid allotted t
any state shall be expended upon tn
primary or Interstate roads unit
provision has been made for the i'm
Drovement of the entire system {
such roads. Whenever provision ha
been made by, or on behalf of an
state, for the completion and maiI
tenanee of q system of interstat
and inter-county roads equal to SCI
en- per cent of the total mileage {
such state, said state, through Il
state highway department, by an
with the approval of its secretary
agriculture, is hereby authorized
add to the mileage of the intersta
and inter-county system as funds b
come available for the cOnstructiC
and maintenance OF such addition
mileage"
With this section added to Il
present law, the state highway @
ffcials believe that the position Ia
en- by the president will be met whe
he says: Congress ought to pr
scribe conditions to federal appr
priations which will necessitate
consistent program of uniformi
which will justify the federal OF
lay"
Must Provide State Funds
Much of the citicism that has be
heaped upon the states In their ro
building program would give the Id
that federal funds had been dol
out promiscuously, when in real
thia condition IL it has assumed t
position of a condition, obtains in
very few states and then only
cause the states, as such, were
pendent upon the counties to ra
the funds necessary to cooper;
with the federal appropriation.
To meet this situation. tt Is p
posed that "any state desiring
avail itself OF the benefits of {
act, shall, not later than two We
after the adjournment of the II
regular session of the state 1egif
ture from and after the passage 6
approval of this act. provide st
funds each year to at least equal
amount apportioned for such year
lContinned on naga fiXe1