The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-02-18

islature will put 1c or possibly &c
per gallon additional tax on\gas oline
used in motor vehicles, to be used by
the Highway Commission in the con-
struction and reconstruction and
maintenance of highways, the same
as most of the other states are do
ing, as it is conceded by nearly
every one, that that is just and
equitable tax, as paying near pro-
portionatc amount to the number of
miles you see the highways.
Mr.. HIATT suggests that you read
section of the article carefully, and
calls to your attention section of
the Act, and quotes it as follows.
Federal Aid Road Act, section 6,
says before any projects are approved
in any state, such state, through it's
highway department shall select a
system of highways not to exceed
10 of the total highway mileage of
such states as shown by the records
of state Highway Department at the
time of the passage of this act
Now please notice his wording
Upon this system all-(please note
the meaning of the word, alb Fed
eral Aid appointments shall be ex-
pended. If Mr.. HIATT can find the
world all in section of the Act,
he can read better than l can, as |
am unable to find the word in the
section. In fact Mr.. HATS express
sion is erroneous and is misleading
many who read his letter.
| suggest that you read all the
sections in the Initiation Measure
proposed in the petition, and read all
on the page, and read it several times
so you will be sure to have it right.
My personal view is, that the
measure is Il good one and should
become law, for several reasons.
First, it would create State High
way Commission whose whole per-
sonnet could not be changed in it's
entirety every two years at the will
and whim of one man, namely, the
Governor elect. | think the organi-
cation is too important, and means
too much to the State to be left in
that jeopardizing position.
Secondly, The Bureau of Public
Roads desire a constituted body with
which they can deal direct, on the
construction, reconstruction and
maintenance of the 7Go system of
Highways without being held up by
counties, thereby causing q gap in a
state or interstate or National high
way. At present some counties won't,
some can't for financial reasons, and
some are Indifferent, and all the
causes added together make an OBJ
stacle hard to overcome for the best
working interests of the Bureau of
Public Roads, the State Highway
Commission and the travelling pub
lic as Il whole. AS for providing
funds for the Highway Commission
to work with, very little change
would have to be made in the present
method. The 1870 refund would give
the counties about as much or more
than they now get through the re-
fund of portion of the auto tax,
and with the legislature providing
an additional fund of 1c or more per
gallon gas tax, the commission could
function very nicely until the people
felt that they wanted a greater ex-
penditure on highways. | understand
that North Dakota, Montana and one
other, are the only three states that
have not as yet complied with the
desires Of the Bureau.
Exception has been taken to seq
ton ) in the amendment, where it
says: and any other revenue''-in
the second line of the section. Let
US see what that means. Surprising
North Dakota wanted to, at some
future time vote Bond Issue for
road construction. Under this In
ltiative measure the Highway Com
mission would be enabled to handle
each dollar with am additional dollar
Of Federal Aid. But here I will state,
so | will not be misunderstood, that
am opposed to a Bond Issue at any
time. particularly wish to call
your attention to the fact that the
Highway Commission would be gov
.rned by laws enacted by the Legis- |
allure at all times and in all cases
as provided in section ) of the pro-
aosed amendment.
The misleading statement was
made at a meeting last week in
Grand Forks that if this Initiative
measure was enacted into law by the
people, the Highway Commission
would, be a body of Cars, subject
o nobody, not even to Lepislaturo |
Tor the Governor. This statement
s ridiculous, as section provides
hat the commission shall be gov
rned by law, and l further wish to
Emphasize the fact that this mea-
ure, does not necessitate the ex-
'endlture of large sums of money
niess the Legislature provides the
unds, and the people demand it.
-Ormanzo A. Brown, Dickinson,