The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-03-01
PASS. AUTO BILL
Senate Cuts Down Charges on
Heavy Cars.
Money To Be Used in County
Road Building.
FINAL VOTE WAS <23 TO 10
Opponents of Measure We're
OutspOken in Belief.
Propose Amendment to WOm-
ems DormitOry Law.
FINAL VOTE WAS (23 TO 10

After cutting the assessment against
the heavier cars, from rs cents a hun
dred pounds to SO cents hundred
pounds on weight above 1000 pounds
the senate Monday afternoon passed
the bill for the raising of money for
county aid for road-building, by an
automobile registration fee. The final
vote on the bill was 20 to 10, and the
fight lasted turnout the day.
The opponents of the bill. which
had been drawn by the senate COM
mittee on roads and bridges, We're out
spoken in their belief that it taxed
the owner of the larger cars, too
heavily, and there was not much diff
Guilty in carrying the amendment re-
ducfng the assessment, which was pro-
posed by Senator Howard, Of Cow
ley county An amendment intre-
duced later by Senator Price, of Clark
county, which would have reduced the
minimum, which is now So for cars
weighing less than 1000 pounds, to SIS,
the figure which is IN effect under the
old law, was lost The Price amend
ment would have operated to reduce
the revenue derived from the BILL
which, as it was first introduced,
would have put three and a half mil
lion dollars in the county treasures
for use in road building.
Not State Aid Measure.
The charge was freely made in the
debate on the bill that the measure
to which ii is a companion, which pro-
vides for the expenditure of the
money, is not a state aid measure, and
cannot be, and that the state will have
difficulty in securing any federal aid
for road building thru it's provisions
The statement brought vigorous de-
NAL from Senator Kyle, chairman of
the committee which framed both
bills, who asserted that the bill was
as surely state aid as anything that
could have been designed at the pres
ent session.
Following the close of the argument
on the automobile measure, Senator
Coleman rose and proposed concur
renee in the house amendment to the
dormitory bill The house took the
senate bill, which provided for the is
suance of million dollars worth of
bonds for the building of dormitories
for women in the state schools, and
altered its features considerably, pro-
viding for a direct appropriation of a
half million dollars, and leaving the
distribution of the money up to the
state board of administration.
Senator Coleman, who introduced
the bill in the senate, was of the opin-
ion that the upper house might do
we'll to adopt the changes which had
been made by the house, but struck a
snag early in, the proceedings.
Division on Measure.
The division is going to occur not
on the cutting down of the appropria-
ton. nor the form in which It's Civ
en-, but on the failure of the house
bill to definitely state where the mon
ey is to be spent. The original bill
told just how much each school was
to receive. and the house measure
does not.
Senator McIyor raised the question
In the senate, and because it was evil
dent that there was going to be pro-
longed discussion, Senator Coleman
withdrew his motion for concurrence
and moved instead that the bill be re-
engrossed, printed and distributed, so
that consideration might be given it
more intelligently at a later date. =