Great Falls daily tribune., 1920-01-10
Recommend as Basis for
Legislative Apportion-
ment, Area, Assessment
and Automobiles.
Convention at Billings
Endorses the Townsend
Federal Aid Bill as Re-
drafted; Banquet Held.
By W. W. MOSES.
Staff Correspondent.
Special to The Daily Tribune.

StdtI CVJIoSpUuuCHt
Special to The Daily Tribune
Billings, Jan. 9.-DiscussionS .
spirited nature, involving recommmeuda-
tions to the next legislature for be
apportionment TO several counties of ias
S15,OOO.OCO road band money IN tha
event that such an issue shall be ap-
proved by the voters at the coming
election. consumed most of the time of
the only business session of the Mon
tana Highway association. to-day. ter
minating in the adoption without change,
of resolutions prepared by the resolu
tions committee. consisting of w. Il.
David Hiiger, Lewistown; G. A. Weide
man, Lewistown; H. =. Wiley. Miles
City, and X. V. Bottomley Harlem.
Apportionment Directed.
The principal section Of the resolu-
tions recommended that the executive
committee Of the association. in con
junction with the executive committee
Of the state highway commission, for
mulate recommendations to the next
legislative assembly for the apportion
ment of the S15,00OOW bond issue
money according to the area. assessed
valuation and number of automobile
licenses. upon a basis which viii be
equitable to the various counties.
Several suggestions and amendments
were offered by various delegates, fixing
the percentage basis for such apportion
ment, substituting population in the
place Of automobile licenses, and sub
stituting valuation of property lying out
side Of incorporated towns and cities.
but all were defeated and the section
adopted in its original form,
The redrafted Townsend bill, fixing
the method of apportionment to the
various states Of the federal highway
money. came in for considerable atten-
ton upon the committee rcconmenda-
ton that the association endorse it.
Scott Leavitt. of Great Falls, stated
that the original bill had been very
obiectable to Montana by reason of its
basing the apportionment upon the area
of the states and excluding from such
area all Indian and forest reservations
and public lands.
Bill Indorsed.
After the new bill had been read and
Il had been shown to the meeting that
the new basis Of apportlonmen; had
been applied upon road mileage instead
If area, the resolution indorsing the
bill was adopted.
Section three recommended an in
crease of automobile license fees. not
to exceed 100 per cent was also ad-
opted after some little opposition lad
been encountered and an amcncnent
to reduce the license to Il nominal sum
had been defeated.
The resolutions further directed the
district chairman to promote highway
examinations in all counties not ,G or
ganized and denied representative to
unorganzed counties. They directed the
executive committee TO have bill pre-
pared for submission to the next
legislature. providing for the nnifiaton
Of motor regulations to conform With
those of other states and for the prper
registering and marking Of trails.
Change in Districts Empowered.
A subsequent resolution presened
by Bernard, of kalispell. favored be
inclusion of a committee from the state
farm bureau to cooperate with rye
executive committees of the highWt
association and the highway commissiol
This was adopted. n
A report from the executive com
mittee. following its open meeting Of thy
evening before, was adopted, in which
the executive committee was empower
cd to make changes from time to time in
the arrangement Of the various highway
districts, transferred Blaine county from
the northwestern TO the northeastern
district. added Saltwater county to the
midland district: made Broadwater,
Meagher and Wheatland counties into
one district, Fergus and Musselshell in
to one district and added Glacier Park
to district to be composed Of the Park,
Flathead, Lincoln and Glacier counties.
Federal Act Explained.
At the opening of the morning ses-
sion. T. NJ Keene. in charge of the re-
Gently created federal road district. with
headquarters at Missoula. addressed the
meeting briefly, explaining the purpose
Of the federal aid road acts. Secretary
j. A. Harader, talked upon the subject
Of campaign Of education tending to
insure the success Of the $15,OOO,OOO
bond issue.
At noon. the delegates from the var
ious counties traversed by the route of
the proposed Custer battlefield highway
met at luncheon which was addressed
! by the secretary Of that association, w.
d. Fisher. of Sheridan, Wyoming, who
made very comprehensive report of
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