Evening star., 1920-01-04
URGES AUTO FEES
Be SPENT ON ROADS

Miles of road which have much to
do with the high cost of living may
become untravelable in many states
unless the tendency to divert auto
mobile registration money to floating
state bond issues is quickly arrested,
said Chairman George c. Diehl of the
A. A. A. good roads board, who yester-
! day, at the A. A. A. national head
quarters, discussed the matter with
highway advocates from various sec
tions of the country.
Seen as Serious Matter.
This is one of the most serious
/ matters confronting far-seeing advo-
Gates of highways progress, said Mr..
| Diehl, who has been making a survey
of 1920 state road programs. "A
fundamental in taxation Is that 1t
should be spread according to benefits,
and it is ridiculous to say that motor
lists receive all advantages which
accrue from improved highways. When
the motorists consent to pay large
share of the maintenance charges that
is as far as they should acquiesce in
sharing preSent-day road expenses.
Keep it in mind that the motorist is
also a citizen who pays the general
| taxes now exacted nationally and in the
several states. This picking him out
for super-taxation in connection with
his vehicle ownership has reached the
! limit of acceptance and should be
stoutly resisted.
..Short cuts lacking in true economic
principles are always ferreted out by
! the financial expert. and this abuse of
| the motorists generosity-for that is
exactly what it isis being shorn of
it's subterfuges. In his acceptance of
a discriminatory tax, the car owner is
entitled to an honest run for his
money. This he doesn't get when the
registration funds are used for con-
struction and not for maintenance,
method which is not put forward in
states that are willing to play fair in
the premises.
After an investigation of road
building activities in certain states
while are engaged in considering va
rious forms of financing their high
| ways building. I am more than ever
| convinced that the original invest
ment in the road itself should only
come from direct taxation or ap-
preparations from general funds. or.
when justified, through the issuing
of short-term serial bonds.
Must BE Well Built.
"Of course, those great highways
| into which numerous other roads dis
| charge their streams of traffic must
be exceedingly well built and cost a
great deal more money than was the
case years ago. But to divert goodly
|
motorists now pay throughout the
country in yearly registration taxes
for the construction of these main
arteries is the poorest kind of judg-
ment. There isn't a man, woman or
child in any community who doesn't
benefit from improved highways, and
those who profit from the increase
in property values should pay pro-
portionately.
What causes me to utter this pro-
test is that certain states just
awakened to road building necessities
are following the easiest way OF
obtaining popular support for legis-
lation by placing the entire burden
on the shoulders of the motor We
hicle owner. who has got to the part
ing of the ways. and; in my humble
lopinion. is about to refuse longer to
be the goat However. my greatest
objection to the proposition is on the
ground that money which should be
for maintenance is side-tracked and
then no provision is substituted
whereby the many miles of road
| which connect up outlying territory
with a nearby market are neglected
to the extent of adding thousands
Of dollars to transportation costs Of
food products"