Decorah public opinion., 1923-02-07
new ROAD LAWS
ARE DISCUSSED
Iowa General Assembly Busy With
Many Proposals for Iowa Roads
With Various Changes
Suggested
FEDERAL AID
THRESHED OUT
A Number of Bills Have Been Sent
/ TO the Governors Office for
/, His Signature.

Dies Moines, Iowa, Feb. 5-The state
highways laws were at the fore
front of legislative attention when
the Iowa general assembly adjourn
ed over last week end. The road
question again has taken its accus-
toned place in the legislative van,
where it has been for each of four
succeeding sessions. Like the poor,
road fights always seem to be with
as on capitol hill.
Wednesday, January 81, was a
significant day in the house, the most
significant of the session up to that
time? 1t was devoted to the eventu-
al passage, and attending debate,
upon two bills each of which quite
vitality change the present road laws.
Both We're passed almost unanimous
ly-there were only four or five vot-
es registered against each. But the
debate upon them raised a large
question, which there enactment left
unsettled.
That question, and it was asked
over and over again in various guises
from the floor Of the house during
INc ueDdlty Is w nat Is lONd SOlllS
to do about federal road aid
money!" Two days later the house
partially answered the question, but
only in a negative way, by defeating
the Gallagher resolution which de-
clared federal aid--to be iniquitous,
subversive of states rights, and
sought to pledge the assembly 10
have nothing more to do with it. Bu5
this action was not conclusive. except
to decree that the house is not ready
vet TO throw over federal aid. The
question is still unfinished business.
This article is not interested in the
~aGsht.-or wrong of the federal aid
DTll1Siple. There is no doubt that in
Iowa there is widespread feeling
against it. There will be no argument
here that it is a blessing or a curse.
But the undisputed facts of the situ-
alton as it's stands today with the
Facder and Patterson bills half way
through the legislature, are more i'm
portant than any other thing that
could be written about the assembly
at this time. This article will deal
an facts.
Under the present law the pri,
mary road fund, into which fedora
add allotted TO Iowa is absorbed, car
be spent only to grade, drain, pave
bridge or culvert primary roads.
The Fackler bill proposes to add d
the things for which primary roaC
money may be spent, the following
Purchase of rights of way for prlm
ary roads, improvement or elimina
tion of dangerous railroad crossings
on primary roads, and any othe
expense incident to the construction n
improvement or maintenance of pr
mary roads which counry boards 0.
supervisors will authorize, and which
the state highway commission Wi
approve.
Under the present Iowa road Law
paving projects cannot he rescinded
once they are voted by the people
The Patterson bill opens bacl
track. In its final form las passes
by the house, it provides that upo!
petition of 80 per cent of the voter
in a county, the county board shal
call an election, at which the propo
sition of abandoning road pavlni
project shall be put. Such an cleo
ton could be called at any time afte
two years following the initiation 0
the project.
In the course of the talk on thes
bills, two letters from Henry Wal
lace, secretary of agriculture, !
whose department federal road aid !
administered, to Governor Kendall
and the governors replies, first cam
10 light. The first Wallace letter
which declined to remit to Iowa
federal aid allotment to cover whlc
a certificate had been sent to Wash
ington by Mr.. Kendall, said. anoni
other things:
"It Is the department's view tina
under the limited authority, or lac
of authority, given the state high
wav commission in the matter o
selecting types of pavementS 1t woul
be possible to defeat the purpose o
the federal highway act. 10
the reason that however, necessar
or desirable the pavement of part
ocular road might be, the state high
way commission would be .powerieS
20 effect such pavement without &C
ton on the part of the boards o
supervisors or vote OF the people.
This department very serousl.
doubts if satisfactory maintenance o
federal aid projects can be obtaine'
Under the existing provisions OF tn
state law. The question of mainten
ance Is of paramount Importance.
''In view of the foregoing the de
qartment felt that it could not ap
Grove the certificate submitted by you
However. IL is believed that congres
contaminated that there might b
states whose existing laws would pre-
vent full compliance with the fedora
Highway act in sogne respects, am
therefore made provision for fedora
cooperation for a limited period viii
such states in order that they mlgh
have an opportunity to change thei
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