The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-02-16
HIGHWAY BILL
STANDS FIRST
TEST IN HOUSE
Bill to Abolish Highway Com
mission and Discontinue
Federal Aid, Stands
THE VOTE IS CLOSE
Rurleigh County and Ramsey
County Representatives
Lead Fight On 1t

When the house came to vote on
the question Of accepting the re.
port iOi he committee Of the whole
on II. Il. 223. the vote was - for
the bill, "a against, and one
absent.
The house of representatives, sit
ting. in committee of the whole, to-
day sustained by vote of 81 to- 45,
with Ia members absent, house bill
No 233 which would abolish the
state highway commission after
completion of existing federal aid
road contracts and would discontinue
federal aid in road building in North
Dakota.
The bill now goes to third read
ing and final passage, with it's fate
made doubtful because of the large
number of absentees from the com
mittee of the whole.
The action of the house was TAX
en- in the face of warnings that it
would cost the counties or other
local sub divisions half million
w SoHlplC chlSlluS Soli-
tracts with, federal aid withdrawn.
The bill was assailed from this
standpoint by opponents as not
merely false economy but putting
an additional burden on the taxpay-
\ ers of the state.
Proponents of the bill, endeavor-
ing to modify the effect upon the
minds of Legislators of the provi
sions of the bill abolishing the high
way commission, declared it in eff
feet SIMPLY declared two year "mo-
ratorium" on state highway road
building in North Dakota, and need
not be regarded as a permanent poll
cy.
Cass County Vote Solid
The heavy vote commanded by
Cass county in the house turned the
tide in favor of the bill, and the at.
titude of Cass county was assailed
by many legislators, who asserted
that because Cass county pays more
into the state fund through auto H.
censes than the county gets back,
her representatives sought to break
down state road building to the in
jury of other counties in the state.
The opponents Of the bill drew
their support largely from the west
ern half of the state where, it was
asserted, road building would pe
crippled and development of the ter
rtory, impeded by passage of such
bill as house bill No. 233.
kilograms from/ Thomas H. Nc
Donald, chief of the bureau of pub
lie roads, Washington, d. c., stat
ing that the federal government
would withdraw aid if the bill pass
ed, were read. !.
Opponents of the hill also read
from letter from D. H. Blair, CONS
missioner of the treasury Depart
ment, to Congressman Geo. NJ.
Young, stating that figuring the
amount Of federal taxes the various
states pay, North Dakota contributed
81 to the fund for federal road aid
for every $31 the state got through
that method.
The road building as conducted
under the administration of the
highway commission was criticized
severely during the two and half
hour debate in the house.
Rows Over Bill
During the debate in which Rep.
L. l.. Twichell, Cass county, argued
for the bill, he said in answer to a
question that his brother, Treadwell
Twichell, long leader in state poll
tics, opposed house bill No. 233 and
that "we've had three or four rows
about it,"
Leaders in the fight against the
bill were Rep. Jackson and Rep. Sa-
gen of Ramsey county and Rep.
Harrington and Rep. Anderson of
Burleigh county.
There was no record vote taken.
The debate also developed severe
opposition of the North Dakota Good
Roads Association program legisla-
tion pending in the senate, which
may doom the constitutional amend.
ment, resolution and three bills.
Rep. Jackson, opening debate, ira.
ced the development Of the national
policy of federal aid to build ma
tion-wide road system.
If federal aid is withdrawn the
counties and state have the job OF
competing about 100000 Of un-
finished contracts, he said. This
means, he said, that the $500,00(
which the federal government would
put in must be raised locally by tax
alton.
What State Will Lose
He read telegram giving figures
on the amount of money North Da.
kota pays into the fund from which
federal aid is paid.
For every 81 Of taxes put in by
North Dakota the state gets bacs
$3.50. !
If North Dakota gets 100000 Of
federal aid it would cost the state
but about $4,000 in federal taxes.
The money comes from the biz
eastern states which pay the bulk o.
(Continped % Page ThreS)