Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1920-08-06

posing to you is that the whole dol
lar be given to the feeder roads.
This 1000 miles of road which
comprises the Trunk Highway Sys-
tenn, are the main through roads in
the State and are the roads on which
most Of the money used for road con-
struction is expended each year.
Records in the Office of the State
Highway Department show that near
ly 80 per cent of the funds expended
by the counties on roads is spent on
this identical system. This system of
trunk highways or main through
roads are roads which, in many
cases, are of more Importance as
connecting links in State system,
therefore constitute a system of
roads which is Of great benefit to the
State, and which consequently should
be built, maintained and financed by
the State with funds derived from
the State source and not by local
authorities with local taxes and as
sessments.
Stevens county has paid into the
state road fund $55,316.70, but it
has received back two dollars for
every dollar it has paid in. Stevens
county has drawn $113,72O.16 from
the state road fund, or $58,403.46
more than it has paid in.
Besides that Stevens county has
been allotted $225,000 of federal
aid, which together with the excess
of over $58,0OO, makes over $685.
900 of money which has been and is
being spent on Stevens county roads
which cost the taxpayers of Stevens
county not one penny.
Unless Amendment No. 1 is voted,
this condition cannot continue.
The tax which it is proposed to i'm
pose upon all autos and auto trucks
averaging SIS car, will not be the
same on all cars but will be gradu-
ated according to horsepower, weight
and valuation of the car. 1t is ex-
pected that the tax will be about
$12 for a Ford up to SIS to 1925 for
a Packard.
In reference to receipts from motor
vehicle licenses, we have over 271,-
900 automobiles in the State at the
present time and before January 1,
1921, we will have over 100000,
which, at an average of SIS per car,
would bring into the road fund S.
100000. Adding to this amount the
annual Federal Aid allotment of ST.
$4,000, we would have a road fund
of $8,24O,O0O for the first year. If
the number of automobiles in the
State continues to increase each year
in the same ratio as it has for the
past two years, which was over So
900 per year it very clearly shows
that the receipts from this source
alone will soon exceed the S10,00O,.
900 mark. I am giving you these
figures at this time as the number Of
automobiles in the State has in
creased far beyond the estimate
made at the time this bill was intro
duced in the Legislature and I hon
estly believe that it will never b.
necessary for the Legislature to is
sue any bonds in order to finance tn
construction and maintenance of thi
1000 miles of road.
twenty-five per cent of the auto
mobiles of the state are owned with
in the three large cities of the stat
where not one penny of this none!
will be spent. But the more ex
pensive cars are also owned in tn
cities, and it is therefore estimated
that 40 per cent of this total auto ia,
will be paid by the car owners o
the large cities who receive no ben
fit at all except that Of having bette
roads or travel on when they driv,
into the country.
1 want to call special attention t.
the value of this system of roads t.