Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 September 1916 — HIGHWAY DEPT. NECESSARY [ARTICLE]

HIGHWAY DEPT. NECESSARY

—■■■■. . . .. I Is Ruling, Otherwise Indiana Can Not Get Federal Aid. ' Washington, D. (’., September 9. ' —Senator Thomas Taggart has re- j ceived an official ruling from the' department Of agriculture to the effect that it will be necessary for! the state of Indiana, through its' legislature, to create a state highway department such as is contemplated in the act providing for federal aid in the building of roads in the various states and territories, before that department can co-op-erate with Indiana in the distrib tion of federal appropriations. Senator Taggart was strongly of the opinion that, with the assent of the governor of Indiana, the state could proceed immediately to cooperate with the _ federal govern- 1 ment, the legislature at its coming session to create the machinery: necessary to comply fully with this act. In this view he was sustained by Senator John H. Bankhead, chairman of the senate committee I on postofflces and post-roads, which ! committee framed the act. However, the department of agriculture has ruled otherwise and Senator Taggart said today that it is up to the legislature of Indiana to pass legislation under which advantage can be taken of the federal aid. Senator Taggart points out in this connection, though, that Indiana will not suffer financially because of tjiis delay, as the money which it would have received immediately, had it a state highway department, will be available in full when such department is established. The ruling of the department which Senator Taggart has received Is in full as follows: “Under the terms of section 1 the governor, prior to the final adjournment of the first regular session of the legislature held after the passage of the act, is authorized to assent to Its provisions on behalf of the state. Such assent by the governor would not alone, however, enable this department to ex-

tend federal aid to the construction of roads in Indiana. It is the view of this department that it can not co-operate with the state of Indi- ' ana except through a state highway deparment. This is apparent when the provisions of the act are considered. “Section 1 authorizes the secretary to agree with the state highway department upon the roads to. be constructed and the method of construction. Section 6 requires the highway department to submit project statements setting forth the proposed road, and to furnish surveys, plans, specifications and estimates of the same. It also requires for inspection and approval by the secretary of agriculture and provides that payments shall be made by the secretary of agriculture, to such official or officials or depository as may be designated by the state highway department. “Furthermore, section 3 of the act provides that if a state has no i highway department, its apportioni ment shall be available for expendiI ture in that state until the close iof the third fiscal year succeeding ' the close of the fiscal year for which I such apportionment was made. This j further indicated the intention of | the congress to require, as a condi- ! tion to federal aid, the existence of a state highway department and affords’ ample opportunity for any state to comply with the terms of the statute and avail itself of the benefits. “As the state of Indiana has no higTftvay deparment, actual co-oper-ation can not be undertaken until such a department is established. This will not involve any loss of the apportionment to that state, If a state highway department is later established in accordance with the provisions of the statute. Delay in the establishment of such a department will result in the accumulation of the state’s apportionment until the state Is prepared to undertake through a highway department the actual co-operative steps called for in the act. If the delay in

the establishment of a highway department should extend beyond the period above set forth, reapportionment of the money , apportioned to Indiana will be made to all of the states On the same basis as if the apportionment were being made for the first time.”