The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-03-10
NelD Automobile LdU
Of North Dakota Will
Help Road Movement

House Bill No. 1871, as 1t now awaits
the signature OF Governor Frazier,
will, after Jan. /, 1918. create a fund
of at least half million per annum
to be used in the building of state
system of trunk-line highways. With
the federal aid assured by the crea-
ton Of a state highway commission,
as provided for in House Bill No. 16S.
which the governor already has sign
ed, the provisions Of this bill viii
make almost three quarters Of mil
lion available within the course Of two
years, and North Dakota will be in a
position to undertake its first compre-
hensive good roads campaign. A few
years ago the farmer opposed the i'm
position Of any special tax for the
building Of better roads. for "the hi
faIutin' city fellows" This year a
farmer legislature, a great majority
of whom will be Immediately affect
ed. almost unanimously went on rec
ord in favor OF a direct tax for good
roads which will yield five times as
much as ever before has been constd-
5 cred possible. The automobile has
worked the revolution. and the same
automobile will pay the tax.
: Section 3 Of House Bill No. 1877,
which boosts the registration fee,
does not become effective until Jan. l,
1918. Its important provisions are:
The license fee for registration or
DEMONSTRATION OF motor vehicles shall
be not less than So.
For motor vehicles with higher rat
ing than 20 horsepower. an addition
al fee of 80 cents shall be added for
each additional horsepower.
Provided, that If a motor vehicle
shall have been licensed for three sep
arate years under this section. and the
annual registration fee provided paid
during this period. the annual regis
tration fee thereafter shall be one
half that amount.
The annual fee for the registration
or motorcycle in accordance with the
provisions Of this act shall be So.
Demonstrators Fee.
The bill as it finally came to the
governor does not require dealers to
purchase demonstrators license tags
i'm addition to paying the dealers IL
cense fee OF SIS. for each make Of car
handled, as originally proposed.
The dealers license certificate must
be displayed in the dealers place Of
business, and the secretary Of state
shall issue to such dealer or demon
strator a duplicate set Of dealers II
cense tags. AS many of these dupli-
cate sets as the dealer may require
for demonstration cars are to be issued
at so cents for each set, and it Is
provided that no car shall be driven at
any time by any dealer which does
not display these duplicate tags, front
and rear.
I The section affecting the registrA.
ton Of dealers becomes Immediately
effective, as does another provision
which Is Of importance in enforcing
the registration act. Under the old
law, the secretary OF state was requir-
ed to issue duplicate tags, but the car
owner was required to display but
one. There was nothing to prevent his
loaning or selling his duplicate tag to
a friend, and 1t Is alleged that this
frequently was done. The new section
2976e specifically provides: One OF such
tags shall be displayed upon the front
and one upon the rear Of such motor
vehicle"
Another important provision is the
clause reading: THE secretary Of
state is hereby authorized to employ
such agent or agents as may be nee
essary to enforce the provisions of
may be engaged to scout around the
state and spot cars which are guilt
less Of tags.
Disposition Of Monies. 81.
Section 2976n provides: The secre-
tary of state shall pay into the state
treasury all monies received by hirS
under this act which have been paid
by owners Of motor vehicles in any
county and shall file with the state
treasurer and the state auditor veri-
fe dstatements of the amounts and
sources thereof and the amount to
which each county is entitled under
the provisions Of this act.
ION tbs fifteenth day Of every cal
endar month the state treasurer shall
pay into the county treasury Of each
county to fhe account OF special
road maintenance fund as hereinafter
provided one-third Of all the monies
received by him from the secretary
OF state under the provisions Of this
act, and shall credit the remaining
two-thirds TO the account Of the state
highway fund. Provided. however,