Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-03-25

meeting fathered largely by motor
clubs.
mo, l wasn't there" he said. Il
don't know about those things. I'm
not motorist."
Some Argumcntatiyc Bugbcars.
AS a matter of fact, of course, the
automobile nowadays is well up in the
list of prime necessities. Almost any
Illinois farmer will tell you that, as
will almost any Chicago business man.
The good roads men who are mot
motorists will do well, one suspects,
to enlist the considerate attention of
the automobile owner when the topic
of the $50, 100000 bond issue comes
up from time to time.
They Will want sympathetic listen
ers when they explain why the man
who maintains horse driven vehicle
in Illinois is asked for no license fee
In return for the better highways
under his wheels. They will expect
at least minds open to conviction when
they demonstrate why the keepers of
hotels. roadhouses. small town garage
every one whose property values are
increased by The opening up of road
travel-should pay no part of the
state money that builds the roads
They'll be disappointed If the man
who pays 20 cents for gasoline doesn't
listen when they tell why the farmer
the non-motorist farmer, that is
isn't asked to share the cost of bene-
fits and economies to come with better
transportation for himself, his family,
and his corps. 1t may be disconceit-
ing when Highway Commissioner
Bradt repeats his assertion that G6 per
cent of the states population lives
within five mile radius of the pro-
posed highway system, and some one
comes back with question as to why
a scant 8 per cent should foot the
tastes bills for said system.
Justice vs.. Expcdicncy.
The nub of the matter is that these
things can be and will be explained,
reasonably if not logically. When the
good roads boosters went into confer
ence with Governor Lowden last Mon
day the executive told them he would
support no measure involving an in
crease in general taxation.
I'VE could not add single cent to
The general taxation Of Illinois under
the present constitution without going
bankrupt" he said. Taxes are as
high as the people can bear. If you
are right in your calculations it seems
safe, conservative business enterprise,
which ought to have the consideration
of the people of the state. But
whether or not it is just to impose the
cost on the motorists, it is the only
way you have chance of success
Presumably the governor is right.
However that may be, his dictum has
been accepted by the good roads IA n,
and the campaign to double Illinois
automobile license fees has been
definitely launched.
The question to be decided, there
fore. is not whether it is fair to motor
lists. but whether 1t Is desirable on the
whole to accept the one feasible
method offered for the Improvement
of Illinois roads. If this is made clear
at the start it should go a long way
toward clarifying the automobile
mems attitude toward the enterprise.
What Other States Pay.
1t should be borne in mind, too.
that increasing the Illinois fee really
involves no great hardship. OF the
forty-seven states aside from Illinois,
twenty eight now require their motor
lists to pay more than we do. The
rates in six states are virtually the
same as those in Illinois, and in only
thirteen are they lower.
Thus we are far below the average.
Should the Illinois rates be doubled,
the motorists of Alabama, Arkansas.
California, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa,
Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan.
Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jer-
sey,- Oklahoma, Vermont Virginia.
and West Virginia would still be pay
ing as much or more. In Vermont, for
first registration, they have to separate
themselves from 81 per horsepower!
Wisconsin, whose rate now averages
the same as that of Illinois. is planning
to double its license fees. Rhode