The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-01-12

alton the scope of the bill, the compensa-
ton which shall be prompr and Impartial
The question as to who should receive the
compensation and how it should be re-
ceiyed may be easily fixed by law, but
! the problem of guaranteeing that the in
jured workman or his dependents actually
insure immediate and regular payment, Is
more difficult 1 believe that the specfai
commission has met these difficult prob
| lens fairly and effectively in the repor;
of the proposed law They all agree that
the effective enforcement of this act de-
ponds upon some responsible administra-
/ tive body to insure Immediate and regular
payment and review agreements entereu
into with trained insurance adjusters be-
fore they become final
The administration of the act might be
assigned to the Court of Industrial Rela-
tions, in case that body is relieved of the
burden of the public utilities work; the
! administration could be by an Industrial
commissioner. said commissioner to be ex
officio commissioner of labor and indus
try and to have likewise the administra-
ton of the labor department.
Good Roads Program.
By the good roads amendment adopted
in the recent election that state may now
extend its aid to road building. Limita-
| ton of the states help is % per cent of the
cost of the road, and this % per cent shall
not exceed in any county more than ten
| thousand dollars per mile or for more than
one hundred miles in any county. For
ticaIly means that the state shall not pay
more than 25 per cent of the cost OF
any road builded in any county.
| l do not believe it is necessary for the
| state to issue any bonds in order to get
! the larger road program authorized by
this amendment, well under way. By a
| proper revision of the automobile licenses
of this state it would be possible to pro
duce, without any great burden to the
| of over three million dollars per year.
| OF the fund of $3,0OO.00O, a reasonable pro-
the counties in which it is collected, for
dragging and proper repairing; ~ This
If this fund could be used as the state s
| contribution to the road building program
| road building fund of eight million dollars
| per annum. If the federal government
continues its aid to road building, the
the federal government would bear the
| remaining 30 per cent of the cost OF the
rooads; The possIblity Of an eight NIL NIL
| us all the assurance needed for the proper
carrying out of the road building program,
stat eS under the Obligation Of BOND ISSUE
The extensiveness of our road building
program during the next two years should
| building materials and the cost of con-
| struction. During the past year / have
| been in sympathy with the purpose of the
| highway commission and the various coun-
| ties to curtan the road building effort.
rather than pay the enormous prices which
| road building has cost. In all probability
there is approaching, not only a period of
| cheaper cost in road bull ling materials.
but, l fear, also surplus in labor, and
when these two conditions arrive the road
| building program may become a partial
relief to the labor situation.
| / am glad to note that there is grow
ing inclination, wherever advisable, to use
| gravel and other cheaper types for roads
| in communities which have local road
There should be put at the disposition of
| the state highway commission testing
laboratory which would be competent to
l t6n oil nf rnnd d.
materials in various localities of the state.
! All the countries that have grown famous
| for their good roads have made wide use of
| the natural road building materials of the
| country traversed by the roads.
! State Could Make Brick and Cement.
| 1 believe the state could render valuable
ufacture of cement and brick to be used on
| state roads.
| building brick at the penitentfary plant,
and many thousands of dollars have been
saved annually in the construction of state
! buildings by this product. Recently a sci
entific test was made of some shale at the
penitentiary, and the assurance is obtained
that we could make there a paving brick
which would pass as high a test as any
, paving brick now on the market. 1t would
not cost much to add to our brick plant,
already established. sufficient machinery
for making PAYERS. The presence of this
product would be useful in the states road
building; it might also affect the unreason-
able price now charged for brick.
In addition to this, the state could doubt
| less save much money by operating a ce-
ment plant for its own roads. If the first
million dollars collected from the vehicle
licenses were used to start cement plant
| the state could then contribute its aid to
counties which were building cement roads
| in the form of cement at cost. In year,
with an eight million dollar program, the
4 saving on the cost of cement would go far
towards paying for the plant 1t would
| cost the taxpayer nothing and it would in
| the course of a few years save millions.
Los Angeles and other important cities
| which have entered upon big paving pro-
grams have operated their own cement
plants to great advantage
| The objection that this would place the
| state in competition with private business
is not tenable because the state product
| would be utilized for public business only.
| Incidentally the indirect effect might help
| the general public in securing relief from
one of the most harmful monopolies of the
| day-the cement trust
Equitable Distribution of State Road Fund
Funds for state aid in road building COM
plying with the provisions OF the amend
ment in the opinion Of the Highway Com
mission should be apportioned to the
on the number of vehicles licensed pei
county, one fifth on the population of the
county, one fifth on the taxable valuation
| county and one-eifth on the amount of
road and bridge funds levied in the county
during the preceding pre- year This con.
was arrived at by careful study of the pos
sible methods of proportioning the funds
4
would not be equitable in carrying out the
| evident intention of the constitutional
amendment. A combii4ation of the five
methods. or at least four out of-the five,
would furnish n basis that would be fall
1 to all the counties and to the state as d
whole. If the funds were apportioned or
the area it would give to some of the coun-
ties with large areas an unfair portion OF
| the money, while if the population or value
were used the weaIthier parts of the state
would receive the bulk of the funds and
the poorer sections would not receive prop
Ter assistance. The principle of considering
the number of motor vehicles carries out
an idea. somewhat agtated turnout the
| state, of distributing the money entirely
on the auto-licenses basis and allowing ii
to remain in the county. Such a plau
| would not be state aid. and under il the
state-aid amendment would not have been
required. 1t was evidently the intention
of the trainers of the amendment and the
will of the peopl> as expressed at the cleo
ton that the state as whole should De
considered. rather than the individual
county unit. However, we feel in making
hn a l0rr ri lint. hot esI ..-a t3.,