Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-04-21
OPEN FORUM.
Salem. Ore. April 20, .1914.


Editor Capital Journal: 1t is with
amusement that / read in the morning
contemporary the strenuous and ardent
attempts of the Good Road Boosters
representatives of Portland automo-
bilists and aristocrats, in vainly trying
to deceive the voters and taxpayers OF
Marion county nito voting $780, 900
bonds to improve the Pacific High
way, unit of the proposed great high.
way from British Columbia to Mexic'
in a gigantic scheme to force the tav-
payers of the several counties through
which the proposed road passes, for
the especial benefit of wealthy tour
lists who winter in Southern California
and some local sports of our metropo-
| lis, who are active under the assump-
tion of The Interstate Bridge Commit
| tee. We admit that Marion county
needs more permanent roads and high
ways and predict she will get them ir
due time without paying So for 81 of
value received as proposed by issuing
20-year per cent bonds and mortgag-
| ing posterity, thereby completely pre-
venting the completion of the hundreds
of miles Of the remaining main or
market roads, as proposed at the eom.
ing May election, for it is very plain,
when we have voted the limit, or
per cent of the property valuation as
returned by the assessor, we are stuck
and would necessarily have to amend
the law in order to continue the WORK
| by the proposed system. Late election
returns indicate the unpopularity of
bond elections, and there continuance
would be very doubtful. We would be
confronted with the necessity of i'm.
proving the major portion of our roads
by another system, most probably the
old direct tax method.
| 1t is to be remembered that Marion
county embraces large area Of terri
| tory which will receive little or no
benefit from the improvement of the
Pacific Highway and it is unfair 20
tax the whole county ON 81 to 81
proposition when a comparatively few
are directly benefited. As Salem as
city is already bonded for divers
purposes for something more than one
million dollars, the dea of increasing
the bonded Indebtedness does not meet
with much favor, notwithstanding the
Statesmen S assertion of the probable
need of several more hotels to accom-
lmodate the promised (by Portland
lsports) tourist travel. The attempt at
deception on the rural vote is plainly
evident when it is stated the proposed
bonds will provide funds to improve
the roads as designate by the county
court, when any Salem school-boy can
estimate the cost of the proposed im-
provement as submitted by the COM
mittee of Good Roads Boosters, and
ascertain the deficiency or amount to
complete the contemplated improve-
ments, for it is only too plain the ap
portionment will only construct froL,
one third to one-half of the designated
roads save one-the Salem Oregon City
road-and thereby the scheme is ex-
posed. Stayton, Sublimity, Shaw
Macleay, Pratum, Lewisburg, Silver
ton, st. Paul, Champocg, Fairfield
Wheatland, Halls Ferry and Sidney
will NOT receive the promised bene-
fits and if left to build the unconl-
pleted roads to connect with the Pa.
cific Highway and the short stretches
of like road leading therefrom, they
will eventually vote to build ALL the
I roads in the same manner. The farm
ers Of Marion county are fully awake
to the needs of more good and per
manent roads and are ready to build
the same as rapidly as the times and
available means st hand iustify the
investment: unless we are grossly mis-.
informed THEY are NOT going to be
deceived by few automobilists and
would-be sports into the So to 81, 20
year high,finanee bonding propaganda
and the old rule "let>those who dance
Iay the fiddler" win surely prevail
at the election May Is, 1914.
Yours for more good roads and less
highfinancing,
A FARMER