Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1921-04-15

thOAN AOOlN Il hEIA'
which are the heritance OF capitallstic
exploitation must be removed and
labor must join management In UNI
dcrStanding that the public which pays
Is the public To be served and simple
justice is the right and will continue
to be the right of all the people.
Highway Building.
Transportation over the highways is
little less important. but the problems
relate To construction and development
and deserve your most earnest inten-
ton because we are laying founda-
ton for n long time to come and the
creation is very difficult to visualize
In its great responsibilities.
The highways are not only feeders
to the railroads aud afford relief from
their local burdens; they are actually
lines of motor traffic I'm interstate
commerce. They are the smaller ar
teries of the larger portion of our
commerce and the motor car has he.
come an Indispensable instrument In
our political, social and industrial life.
Federal Assistance.
There Is begun n new era In high
way construction, the outlay for which
runs far into hundreds of millions OF
dollars. Bond issues by road districts
counties and states amount to enor-
nous figures and the country Is fac
ing such an outlay that II is vital that
every effort shall be directed against
wasted effort and unjustifiable eX-
penditure.
The federal government can place
no inhibition on the expenditure in
several states; but since congress has
embarked upon policy of assisting
the states I'm highway Improvement
wisely, | believe, it can assert wholly
becoming influence in shaping policy
General Supervision.
With the principle of federal partici-
patton acceptably established prob
ably never TO be abandoned. IL Is inn
pOrtant To exert federal influence I'm
developing comprehensive plans look
ing to the promotion of commerce and
apply our expenditures in the surest
way to guarantee public return for
money expended.
Large federal outlay demands a
federal voice in the program of eX-
penditure. Congress cannot justify Il
mere gift from the federal purse TO
the several states. to be prorated
among counties for road betterment
Such II course will invite abuses which
II 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 it. And congress
ought to prescribe conditions to fed
eral appropriations which will neces-
state consistent program of uni.
formity which will justify the federal
outlay.
Constant Repair.
l know of nothing more shocking
than the millions of public funds vast
ed in improved highways, wasted be-
cause there is no policy of mainte-
nance. The neglect is not universal,
but 1t Is very near 1t. There is moth
ing congress can do more effectively to
end this shocking waste than condi-
ton all federal aid on provisions for
maintenance.
Highways, no matter how generous
the outlay for construction, cannot be
maintained without patrol and con
slant repair Such conditions insisted
upon in the grant of federal aid will
safeguard the public which pays and
guard the federal government against
political abuses, which tend TO defeat
the very purposes for which we au-
tbpriZn federal aNnpnIiturn
Merchant Marine.
Linked with rail and highway is the
problem of water transportation--in-
land, coastWisc and tranSoceanic. It
is not possible on this occasion to sug-
geSt To congress the additional legiS-
lation needful to meet the aspirations
of our people for Il merchant marine
In the emergency of war we have CON
StruCtCd tonnage equaling our
largest expectations. Its war cost
must be discounted to the actual val
ues of peace and the large difference
charged to the war emergency and the
pressing task is TO turn our assets in
tonnage To an agency of commerce.
1t is not necessary to say it to con
gresS, but | have thought this to be Il
befltting occasion to give notice that
the United States means to establish
and maintain great merchant ma
rine.
Marine Laws.
Manifestly If our laws governing
American activities on the seas are
such rs to give advantage to those
who compete with us for the carrying
of our own cargoes and those which
ought naturally to come in American
bottoms through trade exchanges,
then the spirit of American fair play
will assert itself to give American
carriers their equality of opportunity
This republic can never realize its
righteous aspirations in commerce,
can never be worthy the traditions
Of the early days Of the expanding re.
public until the millions of tons Of
shipping which we now possess are
cOurdinated with our inland tranSpOr.
tation and our shipping has govern.
mcnt encouragement, not government
operation, in carrying our cargoes
under our flag, over regularly Operat-
ed routes, 10 every market in the
world, agreeable TO American cX-
changes. II will strengthen Ameri-
can genius ana management TO have
it understood that ours Is an abid-