Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-01-29
Good Road
Bills We're
Discussed
House Puts in Its Time
Jangling over Proposed
Good Roads Legislation
Adopted Committee Report

ENVPSSN SNASSNW ANPN
The house worked up small scrap
over good roads today and incidental
ly decided for the second tine to pass
the Hurd bill which permits counties
to bond themselves for the construc-
ton of permanent roads, there tlaunt-
ing defiance in the face Of the senate
which has a similar bill pending. This
move may lead the way to deadlock
between the house and senate on good
roads legislation.
Among the new bills introduced was
one by Spencer of Multnomah provid-
ing for a state highway board and IA
state highway commissioner. 1t is un-
derstood that the commercial organic
ations of Portland are back of this bill
which is not in harmony with the pro-
gram of the state grange,
The Hurd bill was passed by the
house the other day by large major
ity, and after passage Reames Of jack
son pointed out clerical errors and
asked that the bill be re-referred to
the committee on roads and highways
to have these details corrected, with
the understanding that the bill would
be repassed without opposition when
reported out again.
Therefore, when the committee re-
ported the bill back for passage today
Spencer of Multnomah created con-
siderable surprise by asking that It
again he re-referred to the committee
to be held in allegiance there until the
house ave senate committees on road
held a joint meeting Thursday night
to thresh out harmony program.
Then the fireworks started. Peirce,
Gill, Bonebrake and others opposed
this proposition as a breach of faith,
and declared that the house should
pass the bill. Reames pleaded for de-
lay in the interests Of getting good
roads legislation passed. He declared
that the house favoring one plan and
the senate another, the legislature
would get nowhere. Therefore why
not have the committees get together
and thresh out a harmony program.
Eaton of Lane urged in justice to
Hurd that the house pass the bill with
out delay. He declared that the policy
of re-referring bills to committees was
dangerous and would result in clog
ging up the legislative work. Parsons
Of Lane held the same views Latour-
e4te of Multnomah predicted a dead
lock II the house and senate did not
get together On a harmony plan.
Finally Spencer changed his motion
to read that the report be laid on the
table. This was lost Spencer then
moved that the bill be re-reierred to
the committee. This was also lost
Hurd egged things along by saying:
"Tm not an attorney, and don't un-
derstand the tricks Of attorneys In
these matters"
Hurd had in mind the rumor around
the legislative halls that the Jackson
county delegation wanted credit for
whatever good roads legislation was
passed. and therefore wanted the bill
killed so as to give Senator Won der
Hellen's bll providing for the same,
the right Of way.
Rcamcs took EIurd's remarks as al
uding 10 him personally and disclalm-
ed any trickery on his part He said
that his county wanted legislation to
permit IL to bond itself for good roads
independent Of what any other county
laid lie further explained his attitude
and declared that only In a harmony
lnlObIbll NONlh lN'l y w blg lNlN VI
getting roads legislation through.
Blanchard Of Josephine seemed T.
express the feeling Of the majority
when he asserted that the time to get
together on q harmony program wa.
after the house and senate had tncil
respective road bills.
by % large majority the house thel
adopted the report Of the roads IN,
highways committee that the uurd bill
be recommended for passage
Speaker Macarthur spoke against tn
policy or rc-rororring bills as danger
ously delaying the work Of pas7In'
Legislation, and said that hereafter al
matters should be threshed ont II
committees, although in this case h
favored having the llurd bill held ~
pending o consideration Of II and IN