The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1902-11-07
3{ood River Glacier
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1902.
Communication on Road Question.

Communication on Road Question.
Editor Glacier 1T was source o
pleasure and satisfaction to read YOU
editorial in the issue of October "a, con
cerning the good roads movement. 81
far as can be ascertained it was by fai
the best contribution on the subject
outside OF the metropolitan papers. As
you say, it seems strange that those who
are most affected by the bad roads are
among the slowest to come to the sup
port Of good roads movement.
There was one point evidently over
looked in the article, however, that
would like to have brought to the atten-
ton OF the public. In speaking of the
present road laws, it is suggested that a
radical change in them is necessary be-
fore any amount OF good can be accom-
plished. The change suggested is that
the property tax should be collected in
cash instead Of being worked out. A
little history will apply here, During
the session Of the state legislature in
1893, Hon. H. +. Cross, senator from
Clackamas county, led an effort to have
q cash road law passed providing for a
change throughout the state. Though
falling in this because of lack of popular
support, he did succeed in passing law
which gave authority to the county
court OF each county to order the change
from the old to the cash system and col
lect both the property road tax and the
poll tax in cash, but to levy not more
than a five-mill tax for this purpose.
(See Session Laws 1898, page CO., The
several courts were ruled by the public
sentiment OF their counties so the failure
to take advantage of this opportunity
was the fault not of the law but of the
road-tra cling public. Clackamas and
Multnomah counties took advantage Of
the law at once and heartily supported
the effort for improvement. At no time
since the system was thoroughly tested
would the people have consented to
change back to the old way. After the
demonstration of the success OF the idea,
some other counties adopted the change.
Public opinion throughout the state
had so far changed during the years
that in 1901 law was passed requiring
the adoption of the cash system by all
the counties in the state, and extended
the limit of the special levy to 10 mills,
but leaving it optional with the county
court to collect the poll tax in cash or
labor. (See Session Laws 1901, pages
105, ,108.) No doubt some changes could
yet be made for the better, but the great
need now is not legislation but the culti-
vation OF public opinion tog give all possi-
BILE encouragement to this endeavor to
benefit both the state and the individ-
ual In some backwoods communities
the adoption OF this system meets with
opposition, as do all advance steps in
the path of progress, but there, as else
where, it will all disappear as soon as
the benefits are realized. OF course,
even with popular support for the move
ment, incompetent and machine"
courts may so conduct the road work as
to result in actual injury to the roads, to
say nothing of the squandering of the
money. Great care should be exercised
in the selection of the members of the
county court, for they are the pilots to
guide us to the desired haven, or strand
us on the rocks of failure.
Clackamas county has built about 100
miles of modern roads, besides keeping
the remainder OF the roads in the county
in as good condition as under the old
law, as a result of the change permitted
by the Cross law of 1893. The idea fol-
lowed, is to start at the central points
and build as much as possible each year
on the main thoroughfares first, then on
those next in rank, until the whole of
the county shall be covered, at the same
time allowing no part of the county to
suffer neglect, The most of this work
has been done by clearing and properly
grading the roadway and macadamizing
or graveling the central track, though
where rock or gravel cannot be obtained,
substantial plank roads have been built.
Let the people of each community
study and intelligently support the
good roads movement, elect judicious,
experienced and honest courts and road
supervisors, and we shall not always
have to wallow through the mud, even
here in Wasco county. Respectfully
yours, A CLAoKAAIAsITE.