Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-08-07
THE RESPONSIBILITY.


started looking to the repeal of that
feature Of the motor license law that
permitted owners to retain the same
number plate three years. Indica-
lions were that this agitation was
inaugurated more in the interest of
plate manufacturers than in the in
terest of the public. 1t was pointed
out that the state was losing in Ii
cense about 100000 per year while
saving, as the Freeman-Tribune re-
members, $4,000 per annum in the
cost of plates, the conclusion being
that the state was suffering a net
loss of $23S,000, and upon this film
|sy peg was hung the proposition to
repeal the law, there being no sug-
gestion made by any of the repeal
ers' that the law should be en-
forced. The FreemanTribune sug-
gested that the attorney general take
the matter up and see that the law
be enforced. Enforcement would
mean that the state would collect
this 100000 which was said to be
delinquent, thus saving to the tax
payers the $4,000 which would go
to buy plates each year if numbers
had to be changed annually. This
editorial attracted the attention of
Attorney General Havner and he
lays the responsibility Of non-en-
forcement at the door of the office
Of the secretary Of state. However.
the secretary Of state claims that,
owing to insufficient office force his
department finds it impossible to
comply with the law. That being the
situation, the legislature ought to
take the matter up and either pro-
vide for ample help or change the
law by putting the matter of col
lecting the license in the hands of
county auditors. The auditors Of
the state could perform this duty
and the change would be advantage
GUS in more ways than one.
In response to the editorial in
question, which appeared in the
Freeman-Tribune, the attorney gem
eral writes the following self-explan-
atory letter:
Des Moines, Aug. fireman
Tribune, Webster City, notice in
your paper of recent date you make
some suggestions about the attorney
general collecting 100000 of de-
llinquent auto licenses.
l desire to call your attention to
the fact that the law provides that
the secretary of state shall send out
a list OF the delinquents on May l..
This matter has been taken up with
Mr.. Allen, secretary of state, a num-
Der of times, and he informs this de-
partment that on account of the
want of help in his office with which
to do this work, it has been impos-
|sible for him to get out this list,
and up to the present time no lists
have been sent to any county attor-
neys. 1t is, therefore, impossible
for this office to move in the mat
ter until the lists are sent to the
county attorneys.
Section 1571-m7, supplemental
supplement, among other things pro-
vides:
On April / of each year,
a penalty Of 10 per cent shall be
added to all fees not paid by that
date, and on May 1 of each year the
secretary of state shall send to the
county attorney of each county
list of all motor vehicles in said
county on which registration fee has
not been paid, showing the amount
of delinquent fee, registration num-
bers, make and factory number, to-
gether with the name of the owner
of each such car as disclosed by his
records. IL Shall De Tue uuty Vi IHe
county attorney to collect these fees,
including all penalties provided by
law, the county attorney to receive
10 per cent of the fees and penal
ties thus collected by him as his full
compensation in the matter. An adj
ditional penalty of 10 per cent shall
be added on the first day of April
and an additional penalty of 5 per
cent shall be added on the first day
of each month thereafter until paid,
to become a part of the original mo-
tor vehicle fund. ="
You will see by reading this stat
Ute that it is the duty. first. that