Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1916-12-30
CITY BUILDERS
DISCUSS Means
ROAD BUILDING
Method of Using Auto Tax
and Federal Aid Sub
jects Debated.
UNANIMOUS VOTE
AGAINST STRIKES
Trustees of Chamber OF Commerce
I Approve Three Propositions. Rela-
! tive to Proposed LEGISLATION, Sub
mitted by National Chamber.

Trustees of the chamber of com
cree, in their regular session yes
krdav at the Hotel Pines, spent con
derable time discussing the matter
meeting the requirements OF the
kderal government for the eXpendi-
lre in this state, of money for good
|roads building, and in discussing the
three questions on which referend-
nm is being taken by the chamber
of commerce of the United States.
The referendum propositions were
explained in detail by N. J. CAN'T, Jr.
and Judge Woodbridge, members OF
the special committee, the third mem
her of which, J. F. Mcintyre, was abb
sent because of illness. Then each
question was taken up separately. On
The first, for the conservation OF
natural resources. the trustees voted
unanimously in approval. On the
second, for a constitutional amend
ment to allow the president to veto
enc or more items from approprla'-
ton measures, without killing the en-
tire measure, the vote again was
unanimously in approval. A sugges~
ton was adopted on motion by w. f.
Coleman, that this question be amend
cd so that the president be permit
ted to veto any individual item, Or re-
duce the appropriation Tor any lndl-
y;dual item, a law to which effect is
in operation in So Of the states in
the union. A unanimous vote OF ap-
rroval also was given the third ques-
ton, for the measures to prevent
strikes and lockouts.
Parkes Explains Federal Plan.
Mai. w. ,J.Parkes, county highway
engineer, made an interesting talk
On the means of obtaining in this
state the expenditure of the federal
appropriation for good roads. lie
stated that Mr.. Fortenberry. the fed
eraI good roads representative who
was here recently, had stated that he
would approve the extending OF gov
eminent aid in building the stretch
of road in Grant county, and between
Sheridan and Hot Springs, and also
that he favored ,gpfsrnment aid OF
the road to Humphreys as this latter
would be a part of Ia highway to
Memphis.
Major Parkes stated that the auto
mobile tax in Arkansas would raise
a fund sufficient to meet the require
of the federal government in
this respect, and in the same connec-
ton he stated the belief that 81 or
s. for each car would raise fund
sufficient to maintain the state high
wev department with some mcdlfica-
ton of the departments present
methods.
There was general discussion of the
matter. Some of the speakers faV-
ored small levy from the 3-mlll
read tax, or from the general tax,
rather than the setting aside OF the
entire automobile tax, on the grounds
that it would be class legislation to
make the automobile owners pay the
entire cost OF the new roads. Others
the entire automobile tex
should go to the county where 1t is
collected, exclusively for maintenance
Of roads. and not for the building Of
new roads.
Committee to Prepare Report.
Finally it was decided that bill
be prepared, covering the general
VIEWS VI SpCCIdI COlIl'uilISS, h"''S"
to study the matter, and that the bill
be reported tel the trustees at the next
meeting. The special committee is
composed of Judge W. Il. Woodbridge.
Mayor Simon Bloom, B. G. Fowles, H..
" Bahlau and Arthur Mills
The trustees instructed Secretary e.
B. Bloom to call meeting of prop
erty owners of Cleveland and Jeffer-
son counties to discuss plans for the
building of the turnpike between Pine
Bluff and Rison. In October last the
Cleveland county court made an APP
preparation for the erection OF
bridge across Saline river, and the
has been. before and since
that action, to build this turnpike.
Major Parkes, in his talk to the
trustees, stated that he approved the
action of the chamber OF commerce in
urging that all roads be kept open
while being repaired. and stated that
as long as he is county highway engi-
neer. he will see that all roads over
which the county has control, are
kept open to traffic.