Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1933-01-12
A LOGICAL CONCLUSION.
fFIathead Monitor)

idlliGdA 1sAohAt1AJ
Even If it was necessary for the state
supreme court to reverse itself in the
opinion recently handed down In the
motor vehicle case, no one can ques-
ton the equity and justice OF their
late opinion. It covers the right OF the
railroad and public service commission
to control interstate bus and truck trail
fic. The court first holds that the mot
or vehicle regulation law IS constltu-'
tional. that no Individual or corpora
ton is deprived Of any OF their rights
bv requiring them to secure a license
to use the public highways from the
railroad and public service commits
sion to carry for hire passengers or
freight over state highways.
The decision is of geat moment and
gives undisputed control of such traf-
fic within the state. In two sentences
the court goes to the heart OF the ques-
ton. the first sentence saying: In our
opinion the act constitutes a proper
exercise Of the police power OF the
! state in the regulation OF the use OF
public carriers by contract carriers
! Again the decision adds: 4The carriers
are deprived of no constitutional right
by requiring them as a condition 20
their operation as private carriers or
contract carriers over the public high
uavs to first obtain certificate OF
public necessity from the board OF rail-
road commissioners as required by the
statute"
The trucking evil has become rather
[ serious question, although Montana has
{ suffered more from the interstate phase
Of the question, there is no valid rea-
son why bus and freight carriers oper-
, atinp within the state should not be
under strict control so long as the state
furnishes highways for them to travel
The state should also have the righ'
to regulate the tonnage they carry over
our highways as protection 10 tne
public which pays for these highways
No one would think of furnishing right
of-way to railroads, to say nothing O
giving them perfect roadbed. Iher
! whv should we give their competitor
these advantages without having some
: thing to saw as to how they should
$ treat these highways?
Aside from the points OF law IN
volved, the decision has everything u
e its favor from a standpoint OF lustic
4 and equity.
! AS we view it, the regulation OF bu
: and truck transportation is one OF IN
e most important subjects of legislatio
> that will come before the coming ses
! sion. The inequality Of the situato
e from the point Of taxpayer is show
d when it is observed that the Gree
!, . Northern pays $4,000 in taxes to Flat
. head county this year, while there
d comparatively little revenue in take
from bus lines and freight trucks.
b stiff license should be placed upon a
,e trucks and bus lines engaged IN carry
Of ing passengers and trucking Tor hir
! Probably the most harmful featul
Of trucking comes from the intersta
&c truck. Trucks from Washington ar
a other coast points bring in vegetable
= fruits and other farm products, ar
Sc nav no taxes whatever to county
lie state. They even carry their own g
= and oil for the reason that they CT
r. buy much cheaper in states from whi'
sir they come. They not only use our higl
n. ways without paying for their use, b
- they take. the home market from loo
a. farmers, who pay taxes to keep up Il
"a. roads and other Montana institution
on This feature of the situation is one tn
iai must be rectified by the legislature,
~ we hope to give to Montana farme
ty. the protection they are entitled to.
~ might be well, while they are on
ose subject, for the legislature to 60 II
nd this matter thoroughly and rect
VIC both interstate as we'll as intrast,
.itv traffic evils