The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-02-24
ROAD PROGRAM
AGAIN BEFORE
LEGISLATURE
Gasoline Tax Measure Re-
vived, on Calendar for
Final Action Today
OTHER HOUSE ACTION
Bill Providing for New High.
way Commission Is Ap-
proved by Body

appeared doomed under the action OF
the state House Of Representatives
in rejecting the two-cent gasoline tax
Saturday, was given new lease OF
life late yesterday afternoon when
the House revived House Bill No. II
and in committee of the whole ap-
proved diversion of all but $4,000
annually of the present one-cent gas
oline tax to the highway fund.
When the House took up consider
alton of the bill again, in committee
Of the whole, Representative Sanford
endeavored to revive the two-cent
gasoline tax, but failed. Rep. Twi-
chell Of Cass county offered the
amendments which prevailed.
1t is proposed to leave the gas
oline tax at one cent in the state.
but whereas all of the money now
goes into the state. general fund
under the new proposal all but $751;
600 would so into the highway fund.
u is estimated by proponents that
the cigarette tax will replenish the
general fund.
Several members Of the legislature
who we're at odds over the highway
building program, and especially
over the two-cent tax, agreed to the
compromise measure. Rep. Twich-
ell, in charge Of the amendments,
said it was estimated the new scheme
would give the Highway Commission
about 100000 year to match Fed
eral Aid. This would permit total
of 100000 to be spent on new road
construction as compared to upwards
of $1,50O,000 year now spent on
Federal Roads.
The amended measure went on the
calendar for final passage, with a
close vote indicated.
Political Debate
A specific charge by l.. l.. Twichell
that the league group were attempt
ing to strip the state engineer of all
authority and power it is apparent
they haven't found anything on which
to remove him from office" referring
TO the highway investigation probe
was voiced late in the afternoon dur
ing debate over amendments Of
The bill, introduced by l.. o. Rich
ardson, was one of the measures
drawn by !. j. Moe Of the N. D, Good
Roads association and called for the
re-enactment of the highway COM
mission act of three commissioners
appointed by the governor to serve
six years each.
When the bill came up for discus
sion in committee of the whole in
the house. Rep. Burkhart of Ward
county, le"guer, moved to strike out
"chief engineer" and substitute the
word commission" in the paragraph
detailing the appointment of en-
p)oyees of the state engineering and
highway department to the chief en-
gineer. A second amendment re-
moved another clause which provided
that the highway commission may
name the State Engineer as secre-
tary Of the commission but without
additional salary.
Mr.. Twichell questioned the advis-
ability~of this as it would give the
commission power to create new
salaried official-a secretary, who,
certainly would be paid, where now
the chief engineer is the secretary"
F. A. Vogel took the floor with the
statement, GAIL over the state tax
payers have been voicing their dis
satisfaction with the highway COM
mission. Instead of the mastex rum
ming the servant, the servant in this
case is running the master. The
main trouble with the highway COM
mission has been that the chief engi-
neer has been delegated too much
power This has been proven not
only in the Black case but in the
case of Robinson as well"
"The. dissatisfaction with the high
way commission, so far as can
learn is right here in Bismarck" re-
sponded Mr.. Twichell. II have. in
formation showing that the county
commissioners of North Dakota unan-
the highway commission and the
state engineer"
Speaker Larkin, who was in the
seat of Rep. Rabe of Stark county on
the floor, the latter acting as chair
man of the committee Of the whole,
asked, Haven't you heard any pro-
test? I have" Rep. Fine, McManus
and a couple of others said they had
information that the endorsement of
the highway commission by the coun-
ty commissioners was not unani-
nous.
Warns Legislature
Vogel broke into the debate again
shouting "I'm going to give you
warning that if this legislature does
not cut the power of the engineer