The Butler weekly times and the Bates County record. (Butler, Mo.) 1918-1950, 1920-01-22
Auto License Money.

lie w aTTCllSDliTS StdHudi A-llCldN'
seems to be unduly exercised over the
disposition OF the license money col
lccted from owners OF automobiles III
! Missouri. An examination of the
| 1910 Laws of Missouri as enacted by
the last Legislature will be illuminat
| ing and perhaps international to
many OF our citizens who have not
closely examined the new road laws.
\ careful reading of the 1910 law
from pages $50 to 6OO will remove all
dor1bt as to the sufficiency OF the pro
,, visions OF the law to take care of the
rural public roads.
That law requires the State High
way Engineer, under the supervision
OF the State Highway i'oard, to lay
out system of State roads cmbrat-
ing every county in the State, said
roads to he constructed during INC
years 1910, 1920 and 1921. See Sec. Is.
Section ga provides Tor the con-
struction OF the 10000 miles of road.
Section SC provides that each coun-
ty shall receive $I2oo per mile for net
less than so miles of such road
Section II provides that all money
arising from automobile license fees
and some other items shall go into
this fund.
Under the present law all money
collected in the Cities OF the state
from the sources mentioned go into
the State road fund for use among the
several counties on the public roads
outside OF the incorporated towns and
cities.
The State. Highway Department
was by this law re-organized ard
given added powers and duties, which
has occasioned some delay in getting
the law to working smoothly but III
the near future Bates County will get
her share Of this fund. and $oo,oooop
will do wonders on our roads. Read
the law and see what opportunities
arc offered to this and all other coun-
ties in the state for road improv emeiat
by reason of the fund derived large.
1y from the large cities OF. the State.
Let us see if Bates County is beu-
Gifted by this law. Assuming that
county and that the average license
is $1,000 (and both estimates are per-
haps too high then Bates County
pays into the State $2o.ooo.oo in IL
censes and receives back under this
law $6o.ooo.OO for her roads.
1t is no fault of the Legislature that
Bates County has not as yet received
her 1910 share, and perhaps no fault
of anyone particularly but the inabi!-
ity of the State Highway Board 10
get so many projects laid out. ap-
proved and started in the few months
that have elapsed since the adjourn
ment of the Legislature last spring.
The great volume OF this money
comes from the cities and towns and
they do not receive one cent of it
fQfstheir use but it all goes on the
r6ads OF the State except that part
used in administration OF the funh
itself.
Under this law Bates county will at
least receive for her public roads out
side OF her cities and incorporated
towns more than three times what
her citizens pay into the fund Ger
tainly no thinking man can complain
of such an arrangement as this or feel
aggrieved at such a disposition of the
fund if the State Highway Board
complies with the clear intent Of the
law as enacted. If the State High
way Board fails in its duty in the ad-
ministration and distribution of the
fund among the several counties then
the remedy is with the Legislature or
the citizens to compel an equitable
administration of the fund and COM
pliance with the law on the part of
the members of the Board. But until
they have failed they are entitled to
the presumption that they will faith
fully discharge their duties just as
rapidly as the several counties can be
reached. A survey has been made
through Bates County and in due
time a road will be located on which
the 1919 allotment will be expended.
and then from wear to yeaF-win- come
the funds to extend our-road- work
and in time it will work splendid
system of 365 day roads throughout
our entire county.
II