Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1919-05-23
AUTOMOBILE MEN PROTEST HILL
 BILL IN LETTER
Morally Support Suit Filed To Test Validity
 Of Act.

The Pine Bluff Automobile and Accessory Dealers association, at a meeting held Monday, voted to oppose the Hill bill, passed by the last legislature, and yesterday, letter of protest was sent to County Judge R. H. Williams. The letter follows: R. H. Williams, county judge,
 Jefferson County.
 Dear Sir:--
 "The Pine Bluff Automobile and Accessory Dealers association at it's meeting Monday, May 19, 1919, went on record as opposed to the Hill law, passed by the last legislature, and taxing motor trucks only, for the maintenance of the county's roads. : "At previous meeting the associa- tion endorsed your plans for main- taining and repairing our improved highways, and it is still is of the same mind, except that it considers the Hill bill a discrimination. The assocation is heartily in favor of good roads and will render any aid possible to secure them. But the asso- citation does not believe that any ve- hicle should suffer from discrimina- tion.
 Ut is well known fact that a pleasure car, driving speedily, does more damage to road than wide wheeled truck. And narrow, steel Hmmed wheel of a light farm wagon does more damage than an auto- mobile.
 Furthermore, it is estimated that I the revenue from the Hill law will not total more than $10,000 and this amount is believed to be a drop in l.the bucket compared to the funds needed to really keep up ouf high ways. At the same time this total is coming out of the pockets of a very few of the thousands who own motor and other vehicles.
 Taxing a motor truck is taxing in- dustry and business which, as you know, already is carrying a heavy burden. It is not likely that, decade or so ago, any legislator would have I attempted to put especial tax on farm wagons or delivery wagons for the maintenance of streets or roads, yet such law would have been no more discriminatory than the Hill law
 ''The association is morally SUD- porting the suit filed in court attack ing the validity of the act" l ~-->~-~---~~~-> ~->~~~~-~~~~>~~~~~~~ ~~o~~~-o~o~~ reau It was passed without dis
 senting vote after considerable par tisan discussion, Republicans and
 Democrats making counter charges of responsibility for delay in pay of tho fo,,, Ivy ay1
 Republican leader Mondell, Demo ticipated. in the partisan maneuver- ing, which followed statement by Representative Mann, of Illinois, i former Republican leader, that Pres I ident Wilson's absence abroad might prevent the bills appropriations from becoming available until the middle l of June
 Representative Byrns, of Tennessee, ranking Democrat of the appropria- tions committee, charged that Repub-
 lican senators, through their fiillibus- ter of last March, were responsible l for holding up the war risk allow ances. The Tennessee representative declared the Republicans now should
 "remedy the wrong" and urged that
 the bill be passed at once instead ot being put over until tomorrow as :, proposed by Senator Good of Iowa
 chairman of the appropriations com 1 mittee.
 Paw Knows Everything-Willie- js:Paw, what is the breath of suspic- ion? M
 Paw-"The one that has cloves on
 it. my son. Cincinnati Enquirer.