East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1912-02-01
WEST NOT AUTHOR
OF GOOD ROADS BILL
PRALL FRAMED
PROPOSED IMPROVEMENT LAW
Governor Knew Nothing of it Until
Submitted to Him For His APP
proval After Statewide Legislative
Committee Had sanctioned IL.

Portland, Ore, Feb. 1.-"Except
for a few minor alterations, / am
the author of the highway commits
sioner bill. 1t was approved by the
statewide legislative commission after
thorough discussion. Governor West
knew nothing of its provisions until
submitted for his inspection and ap-
proval,' said President C. T. Prall of
the Oregon Association of Highway
Improvement yesterday in answer
to an article which appeared in the
Oregonian under a Salem date line,
saying that the governor by approv-
ing the eight highway bills drafted
by the statewide committee and ad-
opted and printed by the good roacs
association, was building up for him
self a great political organization
The idea of having the governor
appoint the proposed highway COM
missioner was to, centralize RESPONSE
bility," he continued I'VE believ that
if the responsibility for the effective
ness of the highway commissioner
should be pinned to the states chief
executive, rather than to be distrib-
uted among a commission of three to
five members, the certainty of get
ting good work would be increased
No Dictation Attempted.
when the governor appointed the
statewide good roads Legislative COM
mittee he did not attempt to dictate
its policy or suggest procedure. He
made one request--that the commit
tee strive to produce bills that when
enacted into law would meet Oregon's
necessity for better built highways.
1t is absurd and untrue to say that the
governor of Oregon Is playing politics
in forwarding the good roads move
ment."
Mr.. Prall added that the titles of
the bills, the printed statement on
the cover of the bills. and the in
formation that they had been drafted
by the statewide legislative commit
tee as stated thereon had been done
in the office of the good roads as
sociation, and that the governors
only part in the entire matter had
been to aid in the distribution of the
bills so that every citizen of the state
might know their contents before
signing the initiative petitions or vot-
ing for the bills at the next general
election.
There has been absolutely no poll
tical thought or motive in all this good
read campaign" continued President
Prall. Oregon's greatest need is ade-
quate good road legislation.
Highway Commissioner.
I'VE have been trying to construct
a program equal to the need Hence
the provision for a state highway
commissioner who shall be the best
of his profession; for state aid of roaC
building, for state bonds issued at the
rate of $2,000,000 a year for 10 years
This state now looses annually from
bad roads much more than we pro.
pose to spend for good ones'
Planning to give a practical turn tc
the Good Roads Week." which. bN
proclamation of Governor West. be.
gins next Sunday, calls to get actively
into the campaign are being sent from
the good roads office to each of the
statewide committeeman In the same
way good roads advocates of the cit,
are being enlisted.
No advertising or reward offered
for canIiIntaS i.