Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-05-12
ANTI-BoND MEETING
HELD AT FRUITLAND

considerable time was unpIofitably
consumed by debate by four young
men.
One of them, Mr.. Boyington, is an
able speaker, that articulates plainly
and whose voice carries well, so he had
no difficulty in being heard when
speaking in an ordinary tone.
He launched forth on his topic with
a mass of figures and irrefutable facts
that would stagger one not accustomed
to figuring. He was both good
speaker and -one able to prove his ar
guments.
He said in part that the question be-
fore the people next Friday was not
whether they are in favor of good
roads but whether the mode of obtain
ing good roads as laid out in the pres
en-. ease is best. The committee stretch
ed to the limit the amount TO be is
sued in that the largest amount that
could be obtained is $4,000 and the
bonds call for sS5O,000, or within $780,
600 of the greatest amount possible.
There would be $57S,000 interest ON
the $S50,000 bond issue. He corrected
a misstatement made by the bond is
sue advocates in that they assert Mar
ion county spends $4,000 per year on
the roads at present He says only
$4,000 was actually spent on roads,
while part of the rest was spent on
the bridge at the north end Of the
county and the remainder he could not
account for. He said that on the seven
years basis tnat the bond issue people
used to get their figures the county
had made abnormal gains and to keep
on at that pace the county must gain
III per cent by 1894, or the end of the
20-year period, and while that could
be, it is not likely. lie stated that
the part that Fruitland would pay on
the bond issue would be $4,000, and
as the district contains only nine miles
he said that every foot of the district
road could be graveled for that money,
as the RICHEST cost of graveling in the
district for work already done was
$1,000 per mile, and it had been done
as low as $500 per mile, and Fruitland
cannot get one cent of the $4,000 un-
der the bond issue.
He carried out his figures farther
and said that there are 500 miles of
country roads in Marion county and
that the $S50,O00 would gravel them all
b and leave $4,000 for needed grading
etc. His opponent had stated that the
so miles to be improved under the
bond issue would comprise one-third OF
the county roads while, according to
Mr.. BoyingtOn S figres, they are only
onetenta of the county roads.
Mr.. Boyington then stated that he
had got all his figures from the bond
loan circular, so if there was an dis
erepaney it must be in the anti-bond
issue favor. lie stated that the as
sessed valuation of the farms in Mar
ion county is $21 100000, and all the
rest is S22,000O00, or a trifle over
half for the latter.
He asserted that rock roads last
seven years and then if repaired wear
indefinitely and cost $1,000 or less per
mile.
Some one arose and stated that they
understood that the meeting was called
as an aiti-bond meeting, and he would
like to hear some real men speak in
stead of lot of b6Js, so the debaters
retired and Mr.. Donaldson arose aud
stated Oregon had been oYer-boosted
He said the farmers are all in debt
and want to sell out, that they are
still adding debt and that the last
straw always broke the camel g back
He said even the ministers OF the Cos
pei were trying to burden the farmer
more by urging him to vote for the
bonds.
Mr.. Caplinger arose and asserted
that there was no permanent road that
the best paving needed repair inside Of
a year That good roads can't be built
with poor cement, and especially moi
if they forget to put it in.
He stated that the $s50,000 woul(
hardly grade the roads proposed read,
for hard surface, let alone build them
He stated the auto theory was i'm
practical and that if people wanteC
cheap rates to Portland they had i
on the Willamette river. He said h
was in favor of bonds if they wer
good, but there are bad and unjust.
MI cSlb was Itlutslcd " hlltdi
and really found more sound argumen
for the bond issue than is usual,
given, but nis discourse was so yer,
similar to the one he used in Staytol
last Friday that it is unnecessary {
! give it hers, as those wishing to rea'
it can turn to the issue referred tC
He was asked if they issue the wal
rants in lieu Of bonds would not tn
roa,e, all be finished about the sam
time and thus necessitate the count
court issuing SSj0,0G0 worth Of wal
rants all in lump and thus put tn
county in the. same position as sh
would be if she issued bonds. lie fai
ed 10 answer this, as there was so mue
confusion that it is doubtful il he ur
derstood the question clearly.
Mr.. Peetz is certainly Jealous for tn
cause, and it is doubtful if any presen
felt he was there wirh an axe to grin
as they usually feel about most speal
ers in favor of the bond issue.
A straw vote was taken with !
favor of the bonds and all the res
against them, or approximately u
against them.
The meeting adjourned al 10:45.