The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1919-02-28
LAUDS NEW STATE LAW
LICENSING AUTOMOBILES
Average Increase Little More Than
100 Per Cent Says Good Roads
Man-Means Better Roads

Frank W. GullDert, writing Tor tne
Spokesman Review, has the following
to say concerning the new auto Ii
censing law:
Senator Carlyon, who is presenting
to the voters of the state by referen-
dunn bonding plan to create con-
struction fund for high type highways,
has had hard fight to retain enough
money in the motor vehicle license
fund to care for the repayment of the
$30,000,000 issue proposed.
The senator's bill will embrace the
"Illinois idea" of bonding the reve-
nues from automobile license fees.
To carry out the plan certain sum
must be Forthcoming annually to care
for the serial bonds and interest over a
20-yer period. This necessity was the
basic cause of the recent fight on the
joint roads and bridges committee bill
No. 139 providing scale of fees
based upon car weight, which passed
the senate with but eight negative
votes and only II against it in the
house.
The public was prepared for 100
per cent advance on individual motor
driven vehicles, it seems, but was not
at once ready to accept 100 per cent
advance on the sliding scale with
weight controlling.
To protect the maintenance funds
of the counties and supply the needed
basis for the state bond issue ref
erendum, the legislators arrived at a
scheme of licensing which will show
an average advance in license fee re-
turns of a little more than 100 per
cent.
The needs of the Carlyon bill made
it necessary to raise specific amount
and hence the advance over what the
public had been prepared for.
The bonding plan of Senator Carl
yon had been indorsed by many auto
mobile clubs, chambers of commerce
and other organizations, but when it
came to a showdown many of these
organizations were not there to back
the idea.
Over the whole country the demand
is greater than ever for speedy con-
struction of all main thoroughfares.
Apparently there are many who ex-
pect these improved roads, which will
average not less than $4,000 a mile,
to be built with some one else's
money. If we want first-class hard
roads we must contribute toward
those funds which will provide them.
The automobile owner is the chief
beneficiary and he should be more
than willing to bear his reasonable
portion of the burden. l believe SO
out of 100 of our owners are of that
mind.
Dealers organizations have made
the strongest objections to the raise
in license fees, apparently on the the
ory that the advance would affect the
sale of cars. This is not the belief of
dealers who have vision, however, for
they realize that every stretch of inn
proved road added to the existing
milage creates large numbers of
prospects. There can be no argument
there.
1t, therefore, was somewhat sur
prising to the joint subcommittee
which had in hand the drafting of
the law, that practically all oposition
to speeding up of the road building
program should have its source among
the dealers.
l am sure many dealers were mis-
lead by inaccurate information to par
ticipate in the squabble. There are
mighty few, when they look at the
situation, even tempered by the profit
seeking viewpoint, but who now realize
they may have been misled.
They were led to believe the auto
mobile fees were to carry the entire
burden of road construction costs.
AS a matter of fact the additional fees
are intended to provide some of the
hard surfacing for grades already
built by the one mill public highway
levy, or which will be constructed from
year to year either by the state,
county or federal government.
1t is estimated the license fees will
now create an annual fund, after ad-
ministration and maintenance funds
have been deducted, amounting to
about 81 ,250,00O.
The theory is that the class of
traffic which is largely responsible for
the wearing out of the road topping
should be made to pay somewhat
more than the general taxpayer,
every one of whom, of course, also
benefits, but not to the same degree
or so directly.
1t might be enlightening to know
that up to October, 1918, through