Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-11-18
States Closing : 3
First Decade in
Real Road Building

Washington, d. c., Nov. 17.-Forty-
eight states, in conjunction with the
Bureau of Public Roads, Department
of Agriculture. are rounding out their
first decade of modern road building
with gratifying results. according to
a statement issued by the American
Association Of State Highway oficials.
The interstate system, however, on
which state and Federal governments
have been working jointly, is not more
than half complete, and suggestions or
curtailment of the general program for
the purpose Of economy have served
to arouse public interest in pushing
on toward completion Of the remaining
half.
In some quarters the question of
constitutionality of the present Fed
eral Aid road program has again been
raised, which highway officials hold Is
irrevelant in view of the exhaustive
studies that were made before the pro-
gram was put into effect.
In response to points raised. high
way officials in their statement call
public attention to the fact that there
were those in the beginning of our ma
tional life who had visions Of inter-
state highways as nation developers.
for as early as 1903 the Cumberland
Pike was planned by Congress. Jeffer-
son, Hamilton, Madison, Clay. Cal
houn and Webster all maintained
constitutional authority, as well as
the national need. for Federal activi-
ties in highway improvements.
But a short time after the con-
struction Of the Cumberland Pike 1t
was turned over to the states. which
likewise became weary and in turn
passed it on to toll companies. And
then for half a century the much
Wanted local control" was given
most excellent "try-out." The result
Of all of which was that the only free
public highways for years were those
which were impossible during the I'M
seasonable weather.
ut was not until 1891 that tho
states began a real program of road
construction and New Jersey has the
honor of being the first state to create
a state highway department. Two
years afterwards the Federal govern
ment appropriated $4,000 to estab-
lish the Office of Road Inquiry and for
eight years it kept on inquiring. At
the end of that time the name of this
office was changed to the Office of
Public Roads. The constant growth of
state highway departments naturally
gave a larger vision of the highway
requirements and in 1912 the Congress
created a commission to investigate
the problem as to whether the Federal
government had a real duty in the
matter.
"For three years this committee
made a thorough investigation and fin
ally gave q favorable report. In 1915
the Congress made its, first real appro-
priation for highways. Recent discus
sions on the floor of Congress as well
as certain public addresses and pub
lished articles would lead some to be-
lieve that the Congress had not made
a thorough investigation of this sub
ject. The personnel Of the Congress
has changed greatly since the report
of the 1915 committee. There are now
but four of this committee-two sena-
tors and two members of the House
in government service, who were
members of that committee Of 10.
And so, it is necessary to recall some
things which 1t was supposed had been
thoroughly established in the public
mind"