The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-11-08
FAVORABLE ACTION ROAD AMENDMENT
 URGED BY MILLER
Lieutenant Governor Talks on Federal Aid and the Good Roads Amendment at
 Civic Forum

OfVlG UI utlt
 Alabama as state pays it's part into the fund that the federal gov ernment sets aside for the construc- tion of roads in the various states. It is up to the people of Alabama to take their part of this fund and not let it go by default to other states. And there is no way to get this money back except by such a bond issue amendment as will be submitted to the people on Janu- ary 30."
 Thus Lieut. Gov. Nathan L. Miller stressed the importance of favorable action by the people on the proposed good roads amendment at the regu- lar civic forum luncheon at the Hill- man hotel Monday. The meeting, ac- cording to Charles l.. Harold, secre- tary manager of the Civic Associa- tion, was preliminary to the good roads convention that will be held in this city on November 2 and an en- thusiastlc group of good roads advo- cates turned out to hear MT. Miller.
 Resume of Activities
 Starting with brief resume of the activities of the state legislature at its recent session.. In which he dealt upon the several minor changes that were made in the good roads amend ment bill before it was finally passed, Mir. Miller passed on to a considera- ton of the proposed amendment, as 1t will be submitted to the people.
 There is one thing that must be borne in mind by the voters at the coming election" he said and that is that the present policy of federal aid to states in construction of roads will. without doubt, be permanent one, for practically every state Is taking steps to match the money all ready allotted and any congressman or senate elected in the future will be pledged to the continuation of the present policy. With this in mind, we can see that Alabama must step for ward to reclaim her rightful share of this federal fund.
 Up to the People
 "Steps have already been taken by the state highway department to save for our state the allotment already set aside. Surveys have been made, project agreements arrived at. and definite allotments for the various
 |, IA people to see that this work goes ahead before the federal aid is with drawn and the funds go to help an other state build it's roads,
 MT. Miller quoted at length from an official report By Thomas H. Mac Donald, chief of the federal bureau of public roads, in which the policies, organization, administration and ac- tivities of the state highway depart ment were highly commended. He showed how the department had gone ahead under the act of 1919, which was later declared illegal by the su- preme court. with great deal of preliminary work looking to the com pletion of many projects under the federal aid act which must now be abandoned unless funds are provided by the coming bond issue for the completion of these projects
 Paid By state
 There are several steps in road construction under the federal aid system. according to MT. Miller. the expenses of some of them, including preliminary surveys and road main tenance, having to be borne by the state alone.
 "We cannot rightly say" declared MT. Miller, that the money raised by this bond issues will be used to match dollar for dollar the federal allot- ments. Part must be used to-reim- purse the various counties for the funds advanced under the old provi- sions whereby the county paid one fourth, the state paid one-fourth and the federal government paid one-half. Part must be paid out by the state in preliminary locations of projects and purchase of rights of way wherever necessary. And part must go to the maintenance of roads, which the government stipul a.es must be provided for; even if out of the federal allotment"
 Increased Lana Values
 It will be the task of the support CTS of the amendment. Mir. Miller stated, to show the farmers how land values. which depend on ease of making a living, will be increased; to show the smaller counties how provision is made for road construc- tion in their limits which will be paid for to a great extent by the larger counties and to explain to the peo- pie at large that Alabama helps pave roads in other states unless she takes back that part of the fund which is rightfully hors.
 MT. Miller also touched briefly upon the provisions of the recent good roads legislation passed by. Congress, which. as he understood 1t. makes the flexibility of the amendment as pro- posed absolutely necessary
 Charles G. Davis, president or the Birmingham Automobile club, in q few brief reme<ks. stressed the in- portance of concerted action on the part of the good roads advocates if the true significance of the proposed amendment was to be property pre- scented to the voters. He urged an early organization of supporters Of the amendment in each county and a repetition of the programme in the campaign of two years ago, when speakers in each county addressed the jurors each week on tho good roads issue.