Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-05-20
ROAD LAW CHANGES
ADVOCATED BY GRANGE
Transferring Power of State
Commission to County
Courts Advocated

Radical changes in state road admin.
lstratlon were recommended bv the
state Grange session at Tillamook be.
fore adiouning Friday night. Removal
OF authority from the state commission
ana engineer and placing it in the
hands of the county courts was urged
Bond issues also were opposed, but
Federal, state and county aid were in.
dorsed. The following report of the
committee was adopted:
" We believe in good roads, but are
opposed to any bonding issue. Build
only such roads each year as we can
pay for We are in favor of federal
state and county aid making the road
district the unit, same to be paid bv
the general government to the state and
by the state to the county and thence
to the road districts. We believe that
the state road funds should be taken
out of the hands of the state highway
commission and paid to the county
courts, and that the state highway
board and engineer should have no au.
thority in the selection of roads to be
improved.
We believe that our road laws should
recognize the rights of the people in
selecting the roads upon which they
money is to be expended for permanent
work and we firmly believe that the
construction of our roads should be
done under the absolute supervision of
competent engineers,
1.-THE committee recommends that
when roads are to be hard-surfaced con.
crete should be the material used. as
this material is the safest, easiest rid.
ing, is serviceable 36j days year and
requires the least maintenance. We
further recommend that as the roads
of Multnomah county are to be hard.
surfaced and the Grange of that county
is leading the fight against other paw
ing material and in favor Of concrete
foc the reasons above stated the com
mittee on good roads commends the ac.
tion of the Grange of Multnomah coun-
ty and hereby urges the commissioners
Of said county to consider the recon.
faNOrablY.'
The following resolution, the result
of study made by +. G.. Leedy, Profes.
sor Hector Mcpherson and +. A. Logs.
don at conference held at Corvallis
during farmers week last winter, was
adopted unanimously:
"To secure legislation for the promo
ton of productive enterprises, less ex.
pensive systems of distribution and the
establishment of an efficient rural
credit system.
Incorporation Is Recommended.
90 For the first year the chief execu
tive of each of the state organization
affiliating with the federation, togethe
with two others appointed By hin
from the membership of his organiza
ton, shall constitute the board of di
rectors Of the federation for the frs
year They shall proceed TO draft
constitution and set Of bylaws an,
have the federation incorporated unde
the cooperative laws Of Oregon.
" More legislation than usual in tn,
interests of agriculture was accom-
plshed at the last Legislature, so tn,
legislative committee reported du,
mainly TO the preparation of the bill
by DIR. Mcpherson, of the agriculture
college. House bill No. 81, providin.
that 50 per cent of the general roaC
levy shall be spent in the district il
which it was raised, was one Of the i'm
portant measures.
House bill No. 1875. introduced by