Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-09-01
EUGENE e. HOGLE
On the New Gasoline Tax

MOTORISTS in particular and others in
1V1 directly. who use gasoline. will ulti-
matey find the One-cent tax on gasoline,
which goes into effect in the State today. a
good Investment, according to Eugene f.
IIoge. secretary of the Automobile Club of
Philadelphia.
among other reasons said Mr.. Hogle,
"the State recognized that the work of de-
partments such as education and health,
which are not self supporting. might suffer
the fate of having their highly important
work curtailed if they did not have some
provision made for them. As the motorist
is better able than many to afford a tax he
was selected, but, as it so happens. he will
be the ultimate gamer.
"ACcording to the provisions Of the Daw-
son Act, half of the money collected by this
tax. which Auditor General Lewis has esti-
mated az worth about S2,500,00O annually,
will go for the general use of the State
Treasury. to be devoted to such purposes as
may be found necessary.
THE other half goes to the county. col
lectabe about August and February 1, to
be distributed to each county in proportion
to the tax which it has paid. By this pro
vision Philadelphia and Allegheny and the
richer counties will naturally be the greatest
gamers; but as this Is Baby BILL other
steps will doubtless later equalize any de-
fcicncies.
Tax Will Build Roads
1.-The State Highway Department will not
partake in the new tax to any appreciabc
extent, receiving its money IN other ways.
But the county tax will go in each county
toward the building, maintenance and re-
pair of roads throughout the State.
This means that Pennsylvania, with
other provisions for which automObilists
have been working, will be in position to
show the rest of the country and the world,
Tor that matter, her unexcelled beauties and
resources.
The tax will be collected from the last
purchaser of the product, with n distinct
understanding that one cent Of the charge
is Il State TAX. While l believe it would
have been simpler and easier to have col
lected the tax by imposing it on its source,
the rctincrs. on the basis of total gallOnagc,
the bill is well worth while.
although autOmobilistS opposed the tax
at first, | believe they will now accept it
with good grace. We were well represented
at the hearings on the bill and II series Of
conferences melted most of the opposition,
particularly as allowances were made in
such matters as lights and registration fees.
The gasoline tax will be talked about for
few weeks and then will be forgotten and
never mentioned, in my opinion, the tax
being merely absorbed in the price of gas
There would however, have been less com
mcnt if the tax had been laid at the source
instead of at the ends
First Step for Best Roads
'It is well that this tax has been laid for
this purpose, as it marks but Il first step
toward the 500. 900 900 fund which we
want to borrow by revision of the State
Constitution. That amount will be neces-
sary TO put the State in its proper position
among the other States Of the country as to
its touring facilities.
This would put the State in the fore
front Of the country, whereas without this
money we shall be in the rear. I1wOuld he
well to realize the Significance of the fact
that by the close of 1922 PENNSYLVANIA will
have exhausted all the funds available for
road construction, and this in the face of the
most elaborate program ever planned by any
State.
During one week of the last three, for
instance, this state laid more new concrete
road than provided in the entire program of
an adjoining sister State for the year.
1--WE have scenery and natural resources
in tho State second to none.
This state even eXcels the much adver-
tised California in the beauty and variety
of its scenic splcndors. The Alegncnles
excel the much Vaunted White Mountains
We have some of the most beautiful desc
| late spots in the country in the northern
part of the State, ideal for hunting md
fishing, with some of the finest trout streams
in the country. The only trouble is thmt
We have not the roads to get to many of thc
spots. Such spots as The Narrows and IN
fact the whole SusQuChanna Valley rnn,'
pare with any beauty spots. We huye groat
coal and industrial centcrs "'
Auto Clubs for Revision
"Auto cubs of the State are unani,ro,,.,.-
! foE the provision for Fpada embodied In ths