The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1915-01-28

auspices of the state highway commits
sion adopted resolutions approving the
proposed recommendation of the
state highway commission regarding
changes in the highway construction
law. These resolutions recommend
that state aid for cities and villages
of 5000 population or less be discon-
tinued, that all the fees received for
licensing automobiles be RENTED to
the county in which the owners of the
cars reside, except the actual ex-
pense of issuing the licenses.
State Road Board Would Cut Taxes.
Methods for lowering the cost of
good roads construction and mainte-
nance to the taxpayers of the state
are recommended in the biennial re-
port of the state highway commission,
filed with the governor.
The commission recommends the
state highway aid law be amended to
provide:
That state aid funds be apportioned
among counties in proportion to their
valuation, without respect to the
amount to be expended in the county,
with the provision that unless certain
sums be appropriated for road work in
the counties, state aid would be rein-
qushed in proportion to the deficiency
between the county's appropriation
and the amount called for by the full
state aid such reverted amounts to
remain in the state highway fund I'M
til the succeeding year.
That state and county aid for i'm
provement of streets of cities be re-
scinded.
That automobile license fees collect
ed by the state shall be returned to
the county in which they are paid,
with the cost of collection and plates
deducted, to be turned into the coun-
for by the county highway commits.
sioner to the state commission.
That a system OF county police be
established to regulate automobile
traffic, with authority to arrest, and
that fines collected for violations of
such regulations be applied to the
costs of maintaining such police,
courts expenses and the remainder be
used for highway repairs.
That stringent regulations for width
Of tires be adopted by each county,
and enforced by the highway commits
sioner or county police.
The commission makes no recon-
mendations for money to be appropri-
ated as state highway aid in 1916 or
1917.
The commission in its report says:
"There is no reasonable doubt that
the extremely rapid increase in high
way appropriations has been one fac
tor and rather large factor, in the
rapid increase in taxation in all units
of government. The commission is
satisfied that the growth up to the
present time has been too rapid, and
has for the last two years made every
effort to discourage further increase.
The organization of the commission
and of the counties, however, has now
been brought up to such a high state
of efficiency that the expenditures con-
templated for 1915 can now be han
died without difficulty, and equal
amounts or slightly larger amounts
could be handled in future years. The
commission believes the rate at which
construction should proceed is abso-
lutely a legislative function"
BIumenfeld Gets Appointment.
Gov. Philip appointed Moritz F.
Blumenfeld of Watertown as state SUI
perintendent of public property to
succeed former Assemblyman Otto
Onstad of Cambridge The salary will
be $4,000 a year.
Moritz f. Blumenfeld was appoint.
ed revenue collector for the western
district of Wisconsin, with headquar-
ters at Madison, by President Cleve-
land and was continued in office by
President Mckinley having headquar
lCi III 4buulSOli iDl Slh years.
The new superintendent of public
property is married and has one son
He expects to move with his family to
Madison in the near future. Mr. Blu.
menfeld is a democrat in politics.
Would Repeal Eugenic Law.
Assemblyman Carl Pieper of Dunn
county has bill to repeal the eugenic
marriage law In its stead he will pro.
vide that license to marry shall not
be issued until both parties to the pro
posed alliance shall have given their
word of honor by making and signing
a declaration Of freedom from veneer.
cal disease, the statement OF the man
to be verified by a reputable citizen
and that Of the woman by her mother
or next friend. There is no penalty
prescribed for violation and the re.
quired declaration is not in the form
Of an affidavit or oath.