Omaha daily bee., 1916-04-25

Of people that the automobile at pres
ent receives 80 per cent Of the advantages
Of good roads l believe that We should
work out a system Of taxation where all
would pay as near as possible according
10 benefits received. IN Europe they
raise a larger portion Of this money by
vehicle tax Their auto tax il from
50 TO 81 per horsepower per year Our
neighhoring state, Iowa. has s tax o.
40 cents per horsepower
I'm my opinion, we should tax our
automobiles 70 cents per horsepower. and
place this money into a special road fund
IN each county. whore the taxes are col
lected. As there Is at present one and
one-hald million horsepower represented
IN the automobiles In the state, there
would be collected a total Of $4,000 per
year from this source.
We should also make state levy Of
2 mills place this money In state aid
road fund. and disburse to each county
an amount equal TO that collected by
them from the special automobile tax.
cities Must Help.
There are q few who would object 10
any tax Of this kind az bnlf 81 our popu-
lation are living In the cities, but they
must be fed by the products from the
country. and thus the cities are directly
concerned with the conditions Of the
country roads. Traffic has developed
not IN conformity with the admlnIstrn.
tive organizations upon which the sys.
/ tens Of road taxation and road manage.
| ment rests, but has overlooked township
| lines and county lines, until today II has
4 become apparent that n township ls ut
/ terry unable, and should not In equity be
called upon 10 construct and maintain It's
roads under a destructive traffic that
| may come from n dozen o'her townships
and IN logical sequence II has become aps
/ parent that the farmers in an entire
county should not be called upon 10 con-
sfruet o road which Is rlpped 10 pieces
| BY automobiles from nearby cities. unless
thoee el'los help 10 bear the burden Of
expense for construction md niainten.
ance Of such roads; and thus haa grad.
ually developed the trend away from
/ local responsibility. 80 as 10 make The
county help carry tho townshp's bur
dens. and the cities and state help carry
The county's burdens. ........ .t=
1 al present We are fpendinY over
/ H.e00eo9 per year on our country ronda.
with practically no permanent benefits.
not due 10 anyone IN particular, but owing
10 our present system Of road manage
menL
/ In order to perfect nm efficient and
operative administrative orYanizatldn
the county commissioners or supervisors
Of each county should be required 10 ap-
point q highway commissioner In CARTS
Of the state. where county could not
| keep commissioner busy. two or more
counties could appoint the same COM
missioner This appointment should be
approved By tho state Bonrd Of Irriga-
\ ton. Highways and Drainage 70 insure
operation between the highway com
miaaoners and the state engineers office.
| Tho duties Of the commissioner should be
10 mako all surveys for road improve
fneuts and 10 superintend the constrlc-
ton Of all road and bridge work IN the
county Tho field notes OF all surveys
should be filed with the state engineer.
who should prepare all plans and speci-
ficatlons, assist In letting contracts and
inspect all work done with state aid be-
fore the work IL paid for.
This system Of management has been
tried In number Of states, and proven
TO be very satisfactory; and is being used
at present on our state Aid bridge work.
state Must Act.
Considering from every angle, the
question OF public road improvements in
the state is Fundamentally and practically
a question important enough End intfi
cate enough 10 engage the attention and
active participation OF the state govern
nent. Tho very fact that all other
agopcies have proven Inadequate. and
that the experience Of other states hes
demonstrated conclusIyoly 10 them the
necessity for participation by the state
government, must convince Us that to