Charlevoix county herald., 1921-02-25
Want Road Work
Done by Counties
State May Receive AS High As
$6,000,000 From the Fed
eral Fund.

Lansing.-With the prospect that
the federal government may spend
100000 in Michigan during the next
year on highway construction, the
house committee on roads and bridges
has taken action to systematize the
states highway construction methods,
The first step in this direction is In
the form OF an amendment to the
state highway act which deprives
counties Of the right to dissolve them
selves into township units for the pur'
pose OF road building. The amend.
ment has been reported out Of the
committee with the recommendation
that II be passed.
County Unit More Efficient.
when the state and federal gov.
ernments are spending vast sums for
the smallest unit In the state which
can function efficiently for road build
ing purposes" said Rep. Charles
Evans, chairman of the committee on
roads and bridges.
1T is manifestly unfair to permit
one small township to block the work
of road across a county by refusing
to cooperate with its neighbors. That
has been the experience, however,
when townships built their own roads
The system has never been success
full and after one or two years try out
the counties which went to the town
ship system have returned to the
larger unit"
Michigan Is now entitled to $3,000,'
900 in federal aid for highway con-
struction and IL bill now before con-
gress goes through will receive an
additional 100000, all of which
would be available for road work for
the year beginning July 1, 1921.
The first bill passed by the 1921
Legislature was sent to the Governor
by the senate last week before ad'
journment of both houses to allow
the Legislators to attend the Repub-
lican state convention at Detroit II
authorizes the calling OF a spring
primary in Ingham county to nomin-
ate circuit judge.
The bill providing for a state ad-
ministrative board, recently passed
by the senate, passed the house by
unanimous vote 1t carried however,
two minor amendments and must be
returned to the senate COR its ap
proval. The bill for centralizins all
state auditing in the auditor-generaP5
department, previously passed by the
senate, was also passed by the house.
Censorship Of Movies Asked.
In the senate bill proposing state
censorship of motion picture films and
advertising by state board at Lans-
ing, was introduced by Senator John
w. Smith, Port Huron. The board
would be headed by the superintend-
ent of public instruction who would
be authorized to employ one inspector
at $500 a year, and one stenographer.
The board would net approve films
which, in its opinion, were sacrileg-
ious, obscene, indecent. immoral, or
tending to suggest false ideals or In
cite crime. All advertising matter for
films would also have to be submitted
to the board for approval.
A fee of 81 for each 1000 feet of
film would be collected by the board,
except in the case Of educational
films for schools or churches, when
the fee would be reduced to rs cents.
do IN
Jail, is provided for violators.
Establishment of ono library
each township or city Is proposed In
a Joint resolution introduced by Sen
ator II. A. Penny, Saginaw, which
asks for constitutional amendment
to be voted on at the April election
The amendment would also abolish
the practice of diverting money re.
ceived as fines In penal cases to
library uses.
Senator Bolts concurrent resolution
calling upon congress to hasten pas
sage OF a soldiers bonus measure was
adopted by the house under suspen'
sion of the rules.
Repeal Of Tax Exemption
Repeal of the tax exemption on for.
eign securities held in Michigan and
the imposition of an ad valorem tax
on this class of property will bring
the state revenue in excess of $4,000.
600 annually, Rep. George Lord, chair.
man of the general taxation commit.
tee, told the house members, speaking
for his bill to repeal the exemption.
Rep. Lord declared that the present
registration fee Of one half Of one per
cent gives the state only $4,000
year and that the tax is collected but
once during the life OF such securities
which average Is years.
Increase in the percentage of Its
assessed valuation which city may
spend for the purchase, Improvement
"a >xxaoaton NJ nuhlic uttlitiag In uro.