170 TJrdaJil—The Present Fee System in the United States. 
E. FERRIES. 
Another early state function which has gradually been trans¬ 
ferred to the municipalities, is that of licensing and regulating 
ferries. The old custom of granting ferry licenses by special, 
acts of the legislatures, has gradually given way to the modern 
system of general laws. These, as a rule, provide that the 
license shall be granted by county boards or commissioners,, 
and that the fees shall be paid into the county treasury. The 
most common practice is to provide some maximum and mini¬ 
mum limit to the fees which may be collected by these author¬ 
ities. The most usual provision in this matter is, that the 
charge shall be not more than $100 and not less than $1.* 
Indiana 1 2 puts the limits at $3 and $50, while Illinois 3 charges 
not less than five $5 nor more than $300. 
Another system consists in gauging the license fee according 
to the carrying capacity of the boats. 4 Bond is quite often re¬ 
quired of the licensee, as a guaranty of the safety and efficiency 
of the service, and the faithful performance of the business for 
which the license is granted. 
F. AUCTIONEERS. 
The modern system of regulating auctioneers, is simply a 
continuation of the method in vogue before the war. Some 
legislatures still fix the fees which shall be collected, but the 
standard of measurement has been changed somewhat in many 
commonwealths. Idaho gauges the fee from $120 to $400 per 
quarter according to the gross amount of business, and allows 
the fee to go into the county treasury. Other states employ 
the same system. 5 6 Missouri, on the other hand, makes the fee- 
vary according to the length of time for which the license is 
1 Ark., Wash., Wy., Kan., —the same limits; Neb.,— limits, $2 and 
$500. Rev. Stat., 1895, p. 593. 
2 Revised Statutes , 1876, par. 52, p. 356. 
3 Statutes , 1845, p. 252, par. 2. 
4 Idaho provides that the license fee shall not exceed ten per cent, of the 
tolls collected. 
6 Md., 1886, Ch. 507, Sec. 503. Mont., 1895, Sec. 4060. 
