The Carbon County news. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1931, 1926-12-30
ATTEMPTED RAID ON SCHOOL FUNDS.

information has come to the News that design
ing politicians are going to attempt to have the COM
ing legislature amend Initiative Measure No. 81 so as
to provide that the Highway Commission can borrow
money from the school fund, and by so doing that
the plans of few individuals may be carried out.
In the first place Initiative Measure No. 81 was
drawn and submitted to the people for their approval
or rejection at the last general election Some of the
best business men in the state participated In the
preparation of this bill and the people overwhehl-
ingly approved it. Now before it has been put into
operation designing politicians attempting to
create sentiment to amend it. to meet the Whims of
few This bill was not put over by any individual
and no one person has right to claim credit for its
passage The press of the state in general played
large part in the passage of this bill and it was advo
Gated upon it's merits One of the strong talking
points that not to exceed eight per cent of the
money raised by the tax on gasoline would be ex-
pended in engineering and administration of the law
If the proposed plan to borrow money from the
school fund should pass this would add from four to
six per cent more to the administration and not be
placed on roads, as we advocated and passed in the
original bill.
At recent meeting Of the State Highway Com
mission the State districted into twelve districts.
Now it is advocated that these districts be written
into the law and be made permanent before the law
has had chance to be administered under the dis
tricts as outlined by the Commission.
The present districting may be right and proper
and equitable or it may not be, but the News believes
that the Highway Commission should have discre-
tiOnary power in this matter and should it be written
into the law then the hands of the Commission would
be tied. We have confidence in the present Highway
Commissioned the people of the state have express
ed their confidence in approving Initiative Measure
No. 81. Until the Commission proves itself other
wise we believe that it should be given latitude in
using it's best judgment If, after the law has been
in operation for two years. it is found that the Com
mission has not administered it as it should be DONE
or there are any defects nustices that should be
corrected, the legislature two years from now can
remedy the law.
1t may be argued that unless some provision is
made to borrow money, that portion of the federal
aid money will be lost to the State. We do not share
that belief as there is enough enterprising counties
that need and want roads and will be willing to ac
cept the state warrants this fund for period of
two years. at which time the gasoline tax will be col
ected in sufficient amount to take up the warrants
and to meet the government apportionment of the
Highway system Carbon County stands ready to
advance to the State Highway Commission any
amount up to 100000 to build needed roads in Car
bon County and they will accept state warrants for
all money advanced. The News is one of the strong
est advocates of good roads and believes in doing /
anything legitimate to build them but we are not in
favor Of raidng the public school fund to accomplish
it. The experience of the state in the past has been
such that the legislature should approach this sub
ject with caution.