Cheyenne record., 1921-04-21

let the public unuerstuho ra
system and the federal regulations a,e
lacking In heIpfulness or hinderins III
ras,r,ctIons. The remaining ohstacies
which are the heritance OF cap'''',''e
sxnloitation must be removed anu III
hor must ioin management in uhue.-
standing that the public which pays
the public to be served and Simple Jus
tice is the right and will continue "
he the right Of nll the people.
TRANSFORMATION over highways Is III
,Is ,ess important but the problems rc'
late to construction ana de'e'ol''len'
and deserve your most earnest "''."
tiop. because we are laying fouida'
| tjon for n long time to come anu ,'e
creation is very difficult TO VISUALIZE
in its great possibilities.
The highways are not only feeuers
TO the railroads and afford reiiei from
their local burdens, they are actua1l!
limos of motor traffic in Interstate
commerce. They are the smaller ar
teries of the lurger portion OF our CUM
merce md the motor car has become
an INDISPENSABLE instrument in our po-
liticaI, social and Industrial lie.
There Is begun a new era In high
way construction, the outlay Tor WHICH
runs far into hundreds OF millions oi
dollars. Bond issues by road districts,
counties and states mount to enormous
figures, and the country is facing such
Mn outlay that 1t Is vital that ever!
effort shall be directed against wasteu
effort and unjustifiable expenditures
The federal government can place
no inhibition on the expenditure In the
several states; but since Congress mas
embarked upon n policy of assisting
the stutes in highway improvement,
wisely, believe. it can assert wholly
becoming influence in shaping policy.
With the principle of federal partici-
patton acceptably established. probably
never to he abandoned, it Is important
to exert federal influence In develop
ing comprehensive plans looking to the
promotion of commerce and apply our
expenditures in the SureSt way to
guarantee a public return for money
expended.
Federal Aid to Be Guarded.
The large federal outlay demands
federal voice in the program OF eXpen'
diture. Congress can not justify a
mere gift from the federal purse to
the several states. to he pro-rated
among the counties for road better
ment. Such course will invite abuses
which 1t were better to guard against
in the beginning.
The laws governing federal aid
should be amended and strengthened
The federal agency OF administration
should be elevated to the Importance
and vested with authority comparable
to the work before 1t. And Congress
ought to prescribe conditions to fed
eral appropriations which will necessl
tate a consistent program Of uniform
ity which will justify the federal out
lay.
I know Of nothing more shocking
than the millions Of public fund.-
wasted In improved highways, wasted
because there is no policy Of mainte
nance. The neglect Is not universal
but 1t is very great. There is nothing
the Congress can do more effectivel!
to end this shocking waste than con
dItion all federal aid on provisions fo
maintenance. Highways. no matter
how generous the outlay for construc
ton, cannot be maintained withou
patrol and constant repair. Such con
ditions insisted upon in the grant O.
federal aid will safeguard the public
which pays and guard the fedora
government against political abuses
which tend to defeat the very purposes
for which we authorize federal expen
diture.
Linked with rail and highway is th'
problem Of water transportatiOn-in
land, coastwise and trans-oceanfc.
is not possible on this occasion to sug
gest to Congress the additional legis
IatiOn needful to meet the aspirations
of our people for n merchant marine
In the emergency of war we have con
structed tonnage equaling our larses
expectations. Its war cost must b'
discounted TO the actual values o
peace, and the large differenc.
charged to the war emergency and tn,
pressing task is to turn our assets IL
tonnage to an agency of commerce.
1t is not necessary to say it to Con
sress, but l have thought this to bt
Il fitting occasion TO give notice tina
the United States means to cstab
lisl and maintain a great merchan
marine.
Our differences Of opinion as to ;
policy of upbuildlng have been remove,
by the outstanding fact of our hav
ing builded. If the intelligent and ef
ficient administration under the exist
ing laws makes established service i'm
possible. the executive will prompt,
report to you. Mnnifestly our law.
governing American activities on tn,
seas are such as to give advantage Il
those who compete with us for the car
rying Of our own cargOes and thOs,
which ought naturally to come il
American bottoms through trade ex