The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1911-01-19
GOOD ROADS
BILLS DISCUSSED
FIVE BILLS ENDORSED, ONE CHANGE
Mason Discusses Bills and Objects to
County Court Locating the
Improved Roads.

The joint meeting of the Commercial
Club and the Pine Grove Grange held
Friday afternoon for the purpose OF
considering the five good roads bills to
be presented to the present session of
the legislature, was characterized bv
much warm discussion.
These bills are for the purpose of
making operative the good roads
amendment so strongly approved at
the last election BY their provisions
a state highway commission composed
of three members shall be created.
The obligation of the executive officer
of this commission will be to lend his
assistance to the building and operat-
ing of the road systems we have
lacked. The conyiCts will be made
useful means of state and county de
veIpment, instead Of being burden
as at present The State Aid Bill
which causes the state to pay l-3 and
the county 2-3 of the cost of perma.
nent roads, will take a material bur
den from the counties. The bondI 10
act will make operative the recently
approved amendment and furnish each
county means to raise funds and to
build roads. Marshal N. Dana and
Walter X. Priest represented the Ore
gon Good Roads Association. Mr..
Priest, who addressed the meeting
first, said that Judge Webster had sent
his regrets for not being able to at
tend the meeting. In referring to the
bills up for discussion he stated that
they had been prepared by the Good
Roads Association of the state after
much deliberatiun and that he con-
sidered them. with perhaps a few
amendments, the best provisions that
could be framed
Mr.. Dana then took the floor. Good
roads he said are more vital than any
thing toward the progress of a COM
munity. Bad roads make a greater
cost for every commodity and imple-
ment used by the people. What is
needed IS system Of local roads to
serve local needs. Mr. Dana corrected
the impression that a number of citi-
zens have had concerning the state aid
bill. 1t is for the purpose of assisting
counties in building roads locally and
not for building through state roads.
The working toward the end of having
a through road, the length of the
coast. However they intend first to
promulgate the building and improve
ments of local roads and are interested
in the present measures.
1t was urged that every phase of the
question be kept out of politics: for,
quoting Judge Webster, "Politics and
mud holes are synonomous terms. "
The inlquity of the present system
of leasing convicts to private individ-
uas was shown. Besides the lessee
getting the use of the state S appara-
tus with which they work, the convicts
are now leased for the sum Cf 45 cents
per day, thus interposing a serious
competition for free labor. BY the
proposed bill governing this matter
the labor of the convict could be
turned toward road building and thus
be vital in the progress Of the state.
After telling Of the unselfsh effort
on the part of the members of the
Good Roads association, several Of
whom have raised among themselves
the sum Of seven or eight thousand
dollars for which they will receive no
return except that they will see the
progress of the state, Mr.. Dana urged
united action on the part of all in
terested to use their influence with the
legislature. lie proposed that it would
be well if as large delegation of
citizens as possible go to Salem and
assist A. |. Mason and Judge A. 81.
Derby, who have been appointed by
the state association to represent this
county in the fight for the bill. Mr..
Priest and Mr.. Dana had to leave for
Portland at 3 :25 and were unable to
remain for the discussion.
Mr.. Mason, who made close study
of the proposed bills and who has Just
returned from Salem where he has
been comforting about them, next
addressed the audience. He explained
that there was going to be 40 fight
over any of the bills except as to Ger
tain sections of the one respecting the
means for the issuance Of bonds, and
that it was satisfactory in every re-
spect except that after the different
counties had received their money, the
disposal Of it and the location Of the
roads to be built was left altogether
with the county courts. Under such
state Of affairs, he pointed out, there
would most surely arise political or
factiOnal controversies and the mem
bers Of the court would be placed in a
disagreeabIc position of settling the
question. However, this could be rem
edied by an amendment providing that
portion Of the expense Of the roads
be paid by adjacent property owners.
A good proposition he said would be
for the adjoining property owners to
pay / Of the expense, the county }, and
the remaining by the state. Gonna
way suggested that the best way to
prevent the disposition Of the funds
causing controversies between differ
ent localities would be for the county
to issue enough bonds at one time to
cover the expense Of building an entire
county road system. Mr.. Mason said
that he would be in favor Of such
proposition if it were possible for the
measure to be passed, but such
measure would meet with great oppo-
sitlon, and it was necessary now to
make use Of proposition that could
be carried to success. Since the pro-
visions of the bonding bill did not
demand a special election, j. W.
Morton was opposed to it and moved
that sits sections be 50 amended. If
the bond question came up at the gen
eral election the proper interest would
not be taken. However, Mr.. Mason
explained that the trainers Of the bill
after thorough deliberation had forseen
that counties might have stubborn
county courts. With a county court
opposed to a special election before it
can be held, petition signed by rs
per cent Of the voters has to be raised
Where the county court is in favor Of
a special election only 10 sper cent of
the voters are required to sign a petit
tion. TO insert special question on a
ballot sat general election, 10 per
cent Of the voters have. to petition,
while 5 per cent are sufficient where
the court is favorabIy disposed. Thus
instead Of making a special election
mandatory the trainers Of the bill