Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-02-05
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ABOUT THESE ROAD BONDS.


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ABOUT THESE ROAD BONDS.
Editor Capital Journal: We all ad-
NIT without argument that good roads
are a necessity, will expedite commerce
and are an asset of economy, provid-
ing they are constructed systematical-
| ly and with the view to assist com
merce, which in our case will mean the
producer, the farmer-the object being
economy in the building thereof and
to benefit the many-not for luxury
but for general utility. We now have
from two to four railroads running
north and south in Western Oregon
so if we want roads they should be
built east and west from commercial
centers to facilitate production.
do not think the state is in cry
ing need Of Pacific Highway for "the
time.killer" as much as it is to i'm
prove the system of getting the prod
ucts Of the farm, mines and mills to
shipping points. The producer in all
cases finally pays the tax. Now as he
pays the tax he ought to be considered
when, where and how his tax money
will be expended. If the main object
is to parallel the already existing rail
roads for the purpose of making a
pleasure road for go to 80 horse power
automobiles at go to so miles an hour
for the exclusive benefit of the tourist,
taxeater and time.killers, while the pro-
Queer that foOts the bills can haul a
one horse load with four horses through
ruts and mud as of yore, then l am
against it.
If the program is to connect the pro.
ducer with the market centers, then l
am for it. | have been reading an
article last summer about a system of
fancy road building in Multnomah
county, The facts as brought out fin
ally were thus:
One chief engineer at $40 per day;
one deputy engineer at So per day; one
superintendent at So per day; one as.
sistant superintendent at $4 a day; one
foreman at $4 per day; one assistant
forman at SO day; one teamster and
team at $4 per day, and two "workers -
at $3.50 each or So per day for both.
J The bill was therefore $42 per day
with SO expended for actual labor of
construction to build the road and $S3
used up by time.ldlling taxeaters. This
is a sample of how good roads were con
structed in Mutnomah county No won
der $2,O00000 were spent there for so.
called good roads with such results as
they have. | will say that with a
county Judge and board of commissions
ers as we at present have in Marion
county such things would and could not
happen, but are we sure that we will
have such faithful public servants all
the timel Another thing, the old Ro-
mans built roads, rock and macadam
1000 years ago through Italy, France
and south and west Germany and they
are in first class condition tody and as
Napoleon, Frederick the Great, Marl'
borough, Prince Eugene, Wellington
and others hauled their cannons and
war materials over them and the far.
mers used them to haul their products
for thousands of years they must be
some good The trouble is here that
our auto.speed lords buck and kick
over u pebble or chuck hole, but they
kick and buck more over u small tax
to license their machines TO ruin these
roads built by farmers s taxes and do.
mated labor, These roads would last
with proper survey, foundations and
urfacing, and repairs, If the speed
maniac could be controlled; in other
words, would not be permitted to run
n 60 horse power auto from 60 to 80
miles an hour at top speed to ruin the
labor and cost Of road and endanger
life and property Of sane working peo'
lple,
AS the producer puts up all the bills
he should be assured and guaranteed
fair treatment in this so.called road
bettement; that his money is not
wasted by grafters, time.killers and
taxcaters, and that these, roads are
constructed to benefit commerce first
and luxury afterwards. When this is
assured and property safeguarded we
win vote the bonds, Otherwise II would
useless and only increase a tax burden
already to heavy to bear.
Yours truly,