The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1920-01-22
CONVENTION
HELD AT BILLINGS
DELEGATES TO STATE MEET
ING CONFER-APPORTION-
MENT MAIN TOPIC

Billings, Jan. 10.-Discussions of
a spirited nature, involving recon-
mendations to the next legislature
for the apportionment of the $751;
100000 road bond money in the
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
Montana Highway association, Fri
day, terminating in the adoption,
without change, of resolutions pre-
pared by the resolutions committee,
consisting of w. B. George, Billings;
C. R. Brazier, Helena; David Hilger,
Lewistown; H. B. Wiley, Miles City;
and R. V. Bottomley, Harlem.
Apportionment Directed
The principal section of the reso-
lutions recommended that the execu-
tive committee of the association, in
conjunction with the executive COM
mittee of the state highway commits
sion, formulate recommendations to
the next legislative assembly for the
apportionment of the $4,000, 900
bond issue money according to the
area, assessed valuation and number
of automobile licenses, upon a basis
which will be equitable to the various
counties.
Several suggestions and amend
ments were offered by various dele
gates, fixing the percentage basis for
each apportionment, substituting
population in the place of automobile
licenses, and substituting valuation
of property lying outside of incor-
porated towns and cities, but all
were defeated and the section adopt
ed in it's original form.
The re-drafted Townsend bill, fix
ing the method of apportionment to
the various states of the federal
highway money, came in for consid-
cradle attention upon the committe
recommendation that the association
endorse it. Scott Leavitt, of Great
Falls, stated that the original bill had
been very Objectionable to Montana
by reason Of it's basing the %apportion-
ment upon the area of the states and
excluding from such area all Indian
and forest reservation and public
lands.
Bill Endorsed
After the new bill had been read
and it had been shown to the meet
ing that the new basis of apportion-
had been applied upon road
mileage instead of area, the resolu-
ton indorsing the bill was adopted.
Section three recommended an in
crease of automobile license fees,
not to exceed 100 per cent, was also
adopted after some little opposition
had been encountered and an amend
ment to reduce the license to a NOM
inal sum had been defeated.
The resolutions further directed
the district chairman to promote
highway organizations in all counties
not so organized and denied repre-
sentation to unorganized counties.
They directed the executive commit
tee to have a bill prepared for sub
mission to the next legislature, pro
viding for the %unifcation of motor
regulations to conform with those of
other states and for the proper regis
tering and marking of trails.
A subsequent resolution presented
by Bernard, of Kalispell, favored the
inclusion Of a committee from the
state farm bureau to cooperate with
the executive committees of the high
way commission. This was adopted.
A report from the executive COM
mittee, following its open meeting
of the evening before, was adopted,
in which the executive committee
was empowered to make changes
from time to time in the arrangement
Of the various highway districts,
transferred Blaine county from the
northwestern to the northeastern dis
trict, added Saltwater county to the
midland district; made Broadwater,
Meagher and Wheatland counties in
to one district, Fergus and Mussel-
she'll into n district and added Gla-
cier Park to a district to be COM
posed of Park, Flathead, Lincoln and
Glacier counties.
Federal Act Explained
At the opening of the morning
session, T. NJ. Keene, in charge of
the recently created federal road dis