Highway Building In Public Land States

VACATION LAND, 1929 ARIZONA HIGHWAYS Page Seventeen Highway Building In Public Land States By HENRY H. BLOOD, Chairman State Road Commission of Utah, and President of the Western Association of State Highway Officials.

THE completion of a connected sys-tem of interstate highways in and across the eleven public land states of the west is a subject of vital importance to the entire country.

According to reliable statistics gather-ed by the United States Forestry Serv-ice it will require approximately forty-one years, at the present rate of pro-gress, to build highways to acceptable standards through the Forest reserva-tions in the western states. At the same time, official figures have been announced showing that within eight to ten years, under present appropriations, the so called Federal Aid Highway System will have been constructed to Federal standards.

Thus, at a glance, it will be seen that thing of most vital importance to the west in its highway building program is that funds be provided by Congress in such amounts as will insure a greatly increased mileage of road building thru forests annually. The Federal government is already investing such an amount of money in transcontinental highways that it can not afford to permit important links of forest highways on the fed eral Aid System to remain unconstruct-ed. In their present condition these un-finished roads become a barrier to travel and prevent the free inter-communication that is so essential to the progress of the entire country.

Recognizing the importance of this subject to the west especially and to the nation generally, the Western Associa-tion of State Highway Officials at a meeting in Denver in October, 1927, initiated a movement having for its definite purpose the securing of a substantial annual appropriation by Congress to be devoted to the building of forest highways connecting interstate Federal Aid roads.

The history of the legislation sought has been extremely discouraging. Representative Don B. Colton of Utah, introduced the original measure calling for an appropriation of $3,500,000 per year for three years beginning with the fiscal year ending June 30, 1929. Later Senator Tasker L. Oddie of Nevada, introduced a companion measure in the senate. The Colton-Oddie bill, as it thereafter was known, was passed by both houses but was killed by presidential veto on May 18, 1928. It was explained at the time that the appropriation provided for was contrary to the "Coolidge Economy Plan."

This vetoed measure provided for the expenditure of the funds on main roads through unappropriated or unreserved public lands, non-taxable Indians lands or other Federal reservations, thus ex-tending its scope further than was orig-inally designed when Forest highways only were to be constructed. However, this measure was not only a surprise but a serious disappointment to those who had been following the measure on its way through Congress. So pronounced was the sentiment in favor of the bill that the senate passed it over the presi-dent's veto. The house failed to take the same action due, it was thought, to the pressure of legislation during the clos-ing days of the Congressional session.

The sponsors of the bill were not willing to accept defeat and at the opening of the short session of Congress, De-cember, 1928, both Senator Oddie and Congressman Colton reintroduced their measures. They met with little opposi-tion in the committees of the senate and house, but General Lord of the Bureau of the Budget, could not be convinced that the appriation asked for was necessary. He expressed a willingness to approve an appropriation of $1,000,000 per year, instead of $3,500,000 per year, for three years, but those in charge of the pro-posed legislation refused to agree to so drastic a cut. They fully understood the need of a much larger amount than the original bill carried and therefore chose to allow the bill to fail of passage rather than the original bill carried and there-fore chose to allow the bill to fail of passage rather than to yield to General Lord's idea, which they believed based on misinformation.

The present status of the proposed legislation is that Senator Oddie has expressed a determination to press his original measure for passage at the spe-cial session of Congress. Information at hand seems to indicate that if the measure passes Congress and reaches the President for approval it will be received in a more friendly spirit than it was accorded under the Coolidge administration.

Miller Peak, The High Point of the Huachucas Page Eighteen ARIZONA HIGHWAYS VACATION LAND, 1929

There is just one fear in reference to the matter and that is that the special session of Congress will devote its energies almost, if not quite, exclusively, to legislation affecting farm relief and the tarriff. Indeed, it has been intimated no other matters will be allowed to be presented. In case this proves to be correct, Senator Oddie will be prepared to sion of Congress next December.

If arguments are needed in support of this legislation, it might be pointed out that the Federal government is the majority owner of lands in the area covered by the eleven western states and should accept full responsibility that attaches to such ownership. A classification of public lands in these states shows that 26.9 per cent is public domain, 18 per cent is national forests, .8 per cent national parks, and 5.3 per cent Indian lands. The total unalienated lands, therefore, is 51 per cent of the entire area. Without question, on this showing, the government should be willing to provide funds for road construction across its non-taxable lands and public domain.

The western states get no greater allotment of Federal Aid money than would accrue to them if their entire acreage were privately owned and taxed. If it shall be said that public land states have been accorded preferential recognition by the sliding scale of participation in the use of Federal funds, the answer is that this provision of the Congressional Act of 1921 does not add one dollar to the amount allotted to each state from successive appropriations made by Congress. The original provision of the Act of 1916, which required that allotments of Feleral funds be made on the basis of area, population, and miles of post roads, is still in force. The changed participation basis merely permited the use of more government and less state funds on a given project, in proportion to the amount of public lands in the states. It was not a recognition of the principle for which the west is now contending, that the government should provide funds for road-building across its own lands with out demanding participation by the states. These public lands are much the possession of the citzenship of the East as of the West. No road revenues come directly from them for state or local uses, as they do from taxable property of citizens.

The money already spent by the Federal government and by states and counties has done much to advance the great road-buiding program. The generosity of the government is appreciated in the west, but the burden of future development of roads is too heavy to be successfuly borne. Transportation needs are growing more rapidly than are available revenues. Something should be done promptly to relieve the situation The most logical thing seems to be to adopt the Colton-Oddie plan and build roads across forests and other government lands by the use of the new funds provided, allowing the present Federal Aid plan to function as it has in the past on other sections of main highways, on the sevevn per cent system.

The problem is not that of one state or of a group of states. It is a national need and should be met in the broad spirit of nationalism. It is recognizzed that imperative necessity exists for early completion of a system of transcontinental roads, wtih intersecting northand south highways from Canada to Mexico, that shall link together the East, the West, the North and the South; that shall bridge deserts, cross mountain passes, pierce forests and traverse wide expanses of public domain. Until this is done it cannot be claimed that the Federal government and the states have discharged their duty to the loyal citizenship of our common country.

The proposed legislation discussed herein would, if enacted, be a forward movement in the right direction. It should have been under way years ago; that is, the appropriations for forest highways should have been in past years very much larger than they have been, and provision should have been made for more money for use where needed in building roads over other government lands. But, without question, the necessary legislation should be promptly has been pointed out.

There is soon to be dedicated and opened to traffic the magnificent Grand Canyon Bridge across the Colorado river. In the design and construction and thefinancing of such a worthy project, all are to be commended in the highest terms. But, after its opening there still remains the important task of building roads north and south of the bridge, on United States Highway No. 89. Much of the country through which this highway runs between Flagstaff and the Utah state line, lies within Federal reservations and public domain. Some mileage in Utah is similarly situated. It is probable that if the Colton-Oddie bill were a law, the funds provided thereby could be used in part to assist in the construction of parts of this absolutely necessary highway. Arizona and Utah would at once be directly and immensley benefited, while tourists from all parts of the United States would have the enjoyment of a most inviting and wonderfully scenic trip, which is would be possible to make in comfort.

The great west should stand together, undaunted by past defeat, and demand passage and approval of the Colton-Oddie bill.

EVASIONS UNSUCCESSFUL

There was once a young couple named Slightham, Who feared that disease germs would bite 'em.

They ate an apple a day To keep the doctor away, But he came and brought twins just to spite 'em. Book of Smiles.