The Weston leader. [volume] (Weston, Umatilla County, Or.) 189?-1946, 1916-04-28
WEALTHY FARMERS
OPPOSE BOND ISSUE

------~
TO the Eai,ers-
We wtah 20 answer the many and
various communications. slatsments
ana mi<slAtemanga 10 senator {. A.
Barrett. w. W. Ilarrah, Farmers
Grain Unien and othera who are op-
noslng the bend Issue Tor gecd roads.
Ar. barrett and Mr. Harrah are ep-
posing the BOND Issue Tor the simple
reason that they are like the little ooy
who n he coald not be captain would
not play
IN fact, the entire argument of the
opposition to the iaond Issue may ee
swept aeay with thls one statement
That the millionaire farmers are op-
posing u because u does not build
road In front of their individual farms
They are selfish. and unless they can
receive the whole benefit they are Go-
inK 10 oppose any movement for prVE-
ress and Improvement whereby the
county a. a whole reviewed benefit In
greater portion than they do indi-
vldually.
rhe statement Justly applies that
these millionaire farmers do not want
20 spend any money for good roads.
but want 20 save their money 90 a.
60 buy their nelghhors out and make
granarles out % school houses
In all this vast farming section
where 80 strenuous opposition 10 the
Bond Issue arises. school houses are
few and far between. In fact. v u a
manlens land. the owners and oper-
atoru live In the cities and farm from
the curb s,oneA They want no devel-
opment because Il would cut down
their holdingx and reduce their enor-
nous incomes.
These same gentlemen who are
nov opposing the Rond Issue. persist
entity state that they have been for
years and still are IN favor of good
roads but during all the years that
this element has been In contrcl of
the good roads association they have
not done one thing They have not
even improved the dirt roadE All
they have done has been 60 hold meet
inrs make speeches. set their names
IN the papers and make a big noise
and pin medals on themselves
We put u M TO the people of uma-
tilla County n Il h fair and inst that |
the lords OF these haroEical domains .
where a small farm is not less than a
thousand acres. where there are no
school houses. no community life. ne I
rural development. shall dictate 10 the
people Of Umatilia County IN all im-
provements bearing upon the adj
vnncement Of the County az a whole. |
We leave a 20 the Judgment OF the
voters II IL ia not better 20 have one /
- $50
II and a school house. than 10 have ten 1
sections OF land. no man on them and
no school house. Il not the one sec |
tion with the ten families entitled 20 |
more consideration than the others
These lords of the farming section
haul their produce 70 market but once |
a year. Yet they insist that II roads
are built the entire County contribute |
toward building roads FOR them TO use
one month In the year. They want the |
people as a whole 20 build them pri-
vate roadways that they may haul
their enormous wheat crops 20 the |
market al less expense aud then ahan- |
don the road for the remainder Of the |
year.
The small farmer on the small farm |
hauIs his produce 10 market practl-
caily every day In the year. and where |
the big farmer computes his cost and
profits in hundreds Of thousands. the
small farmer must compute his cost
and profits in dollars and cents.
The row which has been raised as
to the manner In which the Bond fs-
sue was conceived. prepared and put
on the ballot has nothing TO do with |
the merits OF the Issue. II Is absolute
ly immaterial whether Mr.. Barrett and |
Mr.. Harrah or any one Of the others |
proposed II or opposed Il. The Bond |
Issue In now aquareIy before the peo- |
pie on It's merits and all argument ne
to the preitminaries Is entirely outside
the Issue.
The cause OF good roads u the
cause Of the flresIde. the school. the
OF the just recognition OF the
small farmer and the betterment OF
the people. The rudimentary one
room country school should be con-
into the good graded school
located on good roads. The email \
farmer should be able to haul his
produce to market every day In the
year Far-sighted people who are
owners OF farm lands are quite willing
to have their holdings taxed for free
schools, free books and good roads.
for every one Of these great advan-
Iages adds dollars TO the value Of all \
farm lands.
The voter who thinks for himself
will nnt he mislesl. deceived nor inn
pressed BY any argument which these
farmers can put forward
in opposition to the Bond Issue and
The permanent Improvement OF the
Adv
THE ACTIVE UMATILI4A COUNTY