The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1892-11-11
GOOD ROADS.

SSAA ASsSS oSSalh ~ 1C1lS c1h0 LuO
mud, so familiar to the Oregon
eye and SO demoralizing to Ore
gon travel, has begun to give
promise of what it will do for us
few weeks hence, the subject of
roads Becomes a live one. There
is too much of the Arkansaw trav-
eler in the average Oregonian. In
the wintef he growls ceaselessly
about the impossible roads, but
when the summer comes, when he
should be improving the opportu-
nifty to make them better, they
are good enough, and he dismisses
the subject from his thoughts.
Poor highways have cost the
farmers of Oregon millions of dol
lars. Every year the producers
pay more to support the state gov
ernment. This is SO evident fact
that even the most thoughtless
and the dullest of comprehension
cannot fail to see it. But seeing
it and realizing its significance are
distinct propositions. In an in
definite way we recognize the
burden of obstructed traffic, but
we are not sufficiently impressed
with it to take active measures to
lift it. The heaviest tax the pro-
ducers of Oregon pay is the one
they do not pay at all, paradox
ically speaking, and that is tax
upon traffic. Ii they would pay
a liberal road tax and have the
fund handled in businesslile
manner, their traffic tax would be
less. Primarily, the producer suf-
fers the most by reasons Of bad
roads, but secondarily the mer-
chant, artisan and every indivi1-
ual whose prosperity depends up
on a steady and uninterrupted
continuance of business. When
bad roads prevent the farmer
from coming to town with his pro-
ducts, or diminish the size Of the
load he may carry, his loss is di-
rect and positive, and the loss of
trade is equally direct and positive
to the merchant. With the dull
times of winter, the direct result OF
the bad condition of the highways,
every business man and mechanic
suffers a elimination of income.
The cost of marketing products
| comes out fthe pocket OF the pro-
ducer. The man whose products
cost less for conveyance from the
farm to the consumer receives the
highest net price. The price OF
| wheat in Liverpool is the same
| whether the wheat was raised on
farm within stones throw of a
| railroad warehouse, or twenty
miles distant over roads knee deep
in mud and full of chuck holes.
The difference is all in the net
profit of the producer. Whether
it costs him to get his products
TO the shipping point, or whatever
loss of opportunity to take advan-
tage Of a temporary rise i'll price
by reason of mud blockade, must
be added to the expense and de-
| Quoted from the gross price the
same as other expenses of pro-
duction. IL should then be charg-
ed up to the roads as a separate
item, to show what a large road
tax the farmer pays because he
does not pay any road tax at all,
A direct road tax for the construc-
ton of good highways for winter
travel, would save many times
that amount of indirect tax by
reason of loss Of market or cost OF
reaching it. This is subject OF
more vital interest to Oregon than
the tariff, or the finances of the
country. It means money lost or
money saved. Every dollar saved
in the marketing of products is
saved to the producer and is a dis
tinct gain 10 the entire state. The
legislature will meet in January,
and the farmers of Oregon should
demand of it a repeal of the pres
ent utterly absurd and worthless
road law, and the enactment OF
legislation that shall result in
making our highways passable for
heavily loaded wagons at all sea-
| sons of the year.-Portland Chron
icle.