The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1933-05-15
REPORT REFERENDUM
ION HIGHWAY MONEY
bill BEING SOUGHT
Petition Would Suspend $780,.
900 Appropriation For
Road Department
Suspension of the law providing an
appropriation of $500 900 for nainten-

| Suspension of the law providing al
appropriation Of 100000 for nainten
ance of the state highway department
for the next biennium was threatened
Monday with circulation OF petitions
f, for referendum of the act.
The petitions were reported to have
been placed in circulation at Fargo by
the RECIPROCITY League of Bismarck
with the committee of petitioners
composed of A. w. johnson, Glen.
field, Paul E. Seim. Finley, G. ]. Carl.
son, Valley City, G. A. Hubble, Wing
and John Dawson, Mandan.
If the 1000 signers required to re-
fer a law are obtained, its operation
would be suspended until voted on.
The appropriation is for the bien-
mum beginning July /. OF the $780,
900 appropriated, $191 200 Is for gen.
eral operating expenses.
AS introduced, the bill called for
an appropriation of $3ll $50. but this
was reduced by the senate appropria
tons committee.
Frank A. Vogel, state highway COM
missioner, said that if the law carry
ing the departments budget is re-
ferred 1t would wreck" the highway
department.
Says Labor Would Suffer
Thousands of men who are expect
ed to be engaged in highway construc-
ton If proposed federal aid is made
available would be thrown out of work
while maintenance of highways would
be at standStill, he said.
He called attention to the bill in
troduced in congress for making fed
eral aid available to states for high
way construction, declaring the state
department of highways has prepared
for submission to the U. S. Bureau
of public roads for approval plans for
approximately 1900 miles Of various
types of highway improvement includ-
ing projects in every county in the
state.
When 100 per cent federal emer-
gency funds are available, he added,
the highway department planned to
advertise these projects for letting
contracts. He estimated work would
be furnished for approximately $4,000
men.
If the maintenance budget is re-
ferred, however. he said, lit will not
only be impossible for this state to
take advantage of the proposed 100
per cent federal aid appropriation, but
the work of maintaining the present
constructed state and federal high
ways will have to be suspended"
If North Dakota fails to use the fed
eral funds allotted to the state. the
U. s. Bureau of public roads will re-
appropriate this states share to the
other states, he said.
Strike 1t One-Man Rule
The committee of petitioners di-
recting the proposed referendum, in
a statement said they seek to strike
at the "one-man" highway commits
sion created by the last legislature
and which they contend they can
not legally refer.
The one-man highway commission
law was an emergency act, which, II
referred, would not be suspended.
Acts that are not emergency meas
ures, such as the maintenance bud
get, become automatically suspended
when sufficient petitions are filed.
The statement characterizes the
one-man bill as giving the commits
sioner unlimited power in letting con-
tracts, in hiring and dismissing en-
ployes and states that it creates q
car from whose decision there is no
appeal"
1T places" the statement contin-
ues, too much temptation before one
man who, II he chose, could shake
down every contractor who bid on
highway or bridge construction or
every manufacturer who sold sup
plies"