TABLE NO. 4.-Cash payments to States compared with $75,000,000 apportionment, January 31, 1924-December 31, 1925-Continued

Mr. PAGE. The next table is No. 5, which I will ask Mr. Markham to hand to you. This table shows the amount of money put under agreement by the several States in 1925, as compared with their share under an appropriation of $75,000,000 for that year. In 1925 there was put under agreement $84,553,311, whereas upon the basis of a $75,000,000 appropriation, or a continuation of the $75,000,000 appropriation, the apportionment would be $73,125,000. As I have said, the total amount placed under agreement was $84,553,311, and the table shows that 30 States exceeded their share to the extent of $18,392,031, while the remaining States contracted for less than their share to the extent of $6,693,720, there being 19 States that did not reach their proportions. During the two years of 1924 and 1925 there were 40 States that exceeded the authorization of $75,000,000 either in agreements or in expenditure, leaving only eight States that did not reach in 1924 or 1925 the $75,000,000 authorization. The explanation of those eight States is absolutely easy, for this reason, that they quite probably during those years, in manipulating and handling of the funds, did not have a sufficient surplus to take up the Federal funds, or else the legislatures did not give sufficient funds. Surely, however, in the next year those conditions will be changed, and they will exceed the $75,000,000.

(Table No. 5 is as follows:)

TABLE NO. 5.—Federal funds put under agreement compared with $75,000,000 apportionment, January 1, 1925-December 31, 1925

TABLE NO. 5.-Federal funds put under agreement compared with $75,000,000 apportionment, January 1, 1924-December 31, 1925—Continued

Mr. PAGE. Table No. 6 shows the agreements entered into by the States for two calendar years, 1924 and 1925, as indicated by their share of $75,000,000. This shows that in 1924, 29 States exceeded their allotments while 20 States took less. In 1925, 30 States exceeded their share, while 19 States used under that amount. (Table No. 6 is as follows:)

TABLE NO. 6.-Federal highway agreements executed, calendar years

1924 and 1925

[Prepared by American Association of State highway officials. Figures represent apportionment of a $75,000,000 authorization]

TABLE NO. 6.-Federal highway agreements executed, calendar years 1924 and 1925--Continued

Mr. PAGE. The reduction of the authorization below $80,000,000 from the Federal Government will mean an immediate reduction of the road programs in a majority of the States of the Union. That, I think, has been shown by these statements. A close study of the added cost of highway transportation as between improved roads and unimproved roads shows you that there is no expenditure of public funds which brings greater economy to the people than those for roads. There is no comparison between the saving in rental on post-office buildings in comparison with the savings in highway travel costs. These savings in transportation costs were given this committee in quite considerable detail at your last hearings.

Now, covering the status of mileage of improvements on Federalaid highway system, the accompanying chart will show you that the argument of those who claim that the Federal Government's obligation in the matter of appropriations to Federal roads is completed because the highway systems are completed is certainly erroneous. Seventy-nine thousand and twenty-four miles of the roads represent the mileage under the Federal-aid system that has not

yet been touched either by the States or by the Federal Government. The mileage of the Federal-aid system is 280,400 miles, and the chart shows that 60 per cent of the present highway mileage in the Federal system has not yet been touched. Only 25,550 miles has ever been improved with a high-type pavement, 16,800 miles with a medium-type pavement, and 49,450 miles with a low-type pavement, meaning a sand clay, selected earth, or gravel surfacing. There have been 30,000 miles of the system graded, and I want to say that on this 30,000 miles there has been merely a preparatory expenditure, and there must be a continued expenditure in order to make those roads serviceable. Therefore, we can well say that not one-half, or less than 42 per cent, of the mileage in the Federal system has been improved, and I would say that as to an additional

25 per cent, the expenditures will have to be continued in order to make the roads continuously serviceable.

With reference to the mileage of improvements accomplished during the past year, in view of the fact that the Federal Government has paid to the States the largest amount of money during the past year of any year in the history of road building, this is sufficient evidence to show that the mileage of good roads during the past year has been the largest since the Federal Government and the States have been working in cooperation.

Now here is a record of the total road improvement during the past decade. This large chart here illustrates that better than I can by language. On January 1, 1915, there were only 31 States which had State highway departments, whereas all of the States. have State highway departments to-day. In 1915 the improved State, county, and township roads, of all types of surfacing. represented

257,291 miles, whereas to-day the total of such improved State, county, and township roads represents 467,905 miles. Now, as to improved State roads-those first roads, of course, include all improved roads, whether county, township, or State-but these include only the State road systems. Generally speaking, the State road systems comprise about 10 per cent of the improved systems. In this instance, it appears to be a little bit more, but I think you will find on analysis that the State systems comprise about 10 per cent of the generally improved roads in the State. Now, of those roads we had, in 1915, 35,477 miles, whereas to-day we have 128,347 miles. Those roads represent surfacing of any type, including gravel, sand clay, selected earth, etc. The improved State roads of a high type of surfacing represented in 1915, 14,440 miles, whereas to-day they represent 40,665 miles. The total expenditures on all classes of roads for one year, in 1915, were $240,263,784, whereas the expenditures for 1925 were $1,176,000,000.

The total expenditures through State highway departments in 1915 were $54,884,007, while in 1925 they were $596,176,000. The most startling figure to my mind there is this, that even with the wonderful progress that has been made in the expenditure of money and in the actual building of roads, the number of vehicles using the roads has increased by such a tremendous percentage over our road program that we are now much further behind the demands made upon us than we were 10 years ago-in 1915. Ten years ago there was one mile of high type surface road for every 118 automobiles or trucks, which was a fairly adequate system, I should say, at that time; but, unfortunately, there is to-day only one mile of high type surface road for every 432 automobiles and trucks. Therefore, we have in road building gone about just one-fourth as fast as the vehicles on those roads require.

Speaking for one State in the Union, North Carolina, during the last six years we have expended $100,000,000 upon our road system; $100,000,000 is approximately the figure that we have expended during the past six years, and during that period we have collected from the Federal Government about $5,000,000, or a little in excess of $5,000,000. Yet, I say to you that that $100,000,000 would not have been expended in the State of North Carolina had it not been for the expenditure of the $5,000,000 provided by the Federal Government. It served as a continued incentive to our own people and to the legislature in making provision for additional money for road improvements. I also want to say to you that the money we have expended would not have been expended so wisely, or in such proper and judicious manner were it not for the supervision, and, I will say, the kindly supervision, of the Public Roads Bureau of the Federal Government.

Because of the plans and standards that the Bureau of Public Roads have brought to our State, we have handled in our State this $100,000,000 much more efficiently, and in a much more satisfactory way to our people than we otherwise could have handled it. I come from a State that is proverbially Democratic, and that believes in "State rights," but the kindly supervision of the Bureau of Public Roads in giving us an incentive to build roads is the kind of supervision that we want the Federal Government to exercise in our State.