Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-06-09
FAVOR GOOD ROADS BILL
AND FAX COMMISSION
Recommend Passage Of Bills For Es-
tablishment and Maintenance of
Good Roads and For the Appoint
ment Of Tax commisson-Attend-
ance Increases.

IIlOIIlHS III tue WSSL court room, ana
in session continuing until after noon
hour business of considerable i'm
portance to the association was trans
acted. The nature Of the transactions
Of the forenoon was of vital Importance
to all Of the manufacturers of the
state, the members voting for the es-
Establishment of traffic bureau to be
conducted in connection with the Of
fees of the association at Des Moines.
The establishment of traffic bureau
was discussed at length, and many
to the most feasible and beneficial plan
to be adopted.
Just before adjournment a motion
was carried which provided for the
establishment Of bureau, the plan
being to solicit one hundred members
Of the association to become patrons OF
the bureau at cost of $50 each year.
This bureau will furnish to it's mem
bers clerical service in auditing freight
bills and will furnish rates and other
Information to all members of the asso-
citation, whether members Of the bureau
or not.
Attendance Increases.
The attendance at the convention to-
day is considerably larger than it was
on the opening day, between seventy
five and 100 members being present.
The interest in the discussions this
| year is said to be greater than at any
previous meeting, owing no doubt to
the Importance of the anticipated leg
islation at the next general assembly.
Favor Ias .c9mmission.
lutions were adopted favoring a tax
commission to consist of five members,
two from the house of representatives
appointed by the speaker. one from the
senate appointed by the president OF
| the senate, and two appointed by the
governor Of the state.
| This commission Will -be delegated
the power to thoroughly investigate
and inquire into the subject Of assess
mefts and taxes for state and local
purposes, the operation and the effect
| Of the laws relating thereto. and the
expediency of revising and amending
| the laws SO as to establish more
equal and just system of raising the
necessary puDlbc revenues.
The commission will make a report
before Dec. /. 1912. the report to in
clude such drafts Of bills to carry out
the recommendations of the commits
sion as it shall think necessary to the
revision and amendment OF the revenue
laws of the state.
In adopting resolutions favoring the
commission there was not dissenting
vote.
For Good Roads.
The recommendation of a good
roads bill was the next action of the
convention. The bill. as favored, pro-
vides for the highway commission Civ
ing instructions in road and bridge
making, collecting reports of town
ship, city and county road officers, dis
tribution OF rewards for road building
given by the state or the federal gov
ernment providing for the appoint
ment of a state highway engineer by
the commission with the approval Of
| the governor; for sworn report from
every street commissioner and road
| superintendent to the commission;
providing a system of state rewards to
| townships for the completion of prop
erly built roads under the supervision
| Oi lIlC CpiHitliS2l'Ii, ~ NISst'S 'iiN ''A'>~
of county highway commissioner to
have direct supervision over all pub
lie roads, over road superintendent.
the expenditure of all township and
county funds for road improvements.
] the construction and maintenance of
all roads, bridges etc; to regulate the
building of bridges. providing for pub
lictty and competition in such con-
| oil -
supervision of the state highway COM
mission.
The good roads bill has been model
ed upon laws OF other states when are
said to have proven satisfactory.
Establish Traffic Bureau.
| Among the many topics discussed
before the close of the session was that
of freight rates and transportation. 1t
was the consensus of opinion that the
manufacturers of the state, especially
those conducting smaller plants. Were
losing money daily by knowing little or
nothing Of the traffic rates, the proper
shoppins methods and proper routing.
In many of the larger concerns rate
clerk is employed but many plants find
it Impossible to maintain such desk,
or have never seen the benefit to be
| derived DS the cillElOy VI SuSh q
clerk.
The establishment of a traffic bureau
will eliminate added expense to many
manufacturers in that it will not be
necessary to maintain such depart
ment in their own plants. and will BEN
eft the other plants which have not
empioyed their own rate clerk in that
they may gain the desired informa-
ton from the general bureau, or will
be able to dispense with the services
Of trade bureaus, which some have
been relying upon heretofore.
Several plans were suggested but the
one which seemed to meet with general
approval was that Of obtaining a mem
bership Of 100 at $50 year. or such
ndmber of members at such an expense
as the officers of the association would
deem necessary to maintain the bureau
! All May Be Benefited.
! Those OF the members Of the asso-
c.etto. who did not feel that they
could become one OF the 100 members
supporting the bureau. may have the
.seneral-benefits. of it and maA become