The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1916-04-28
RELATIVE TO THE BOND ISSUE

To the Editor: ask space to an
swer the many and various commun-
ioations, statements and misstatements
of Senator q. A. Barrett, W. W. Har-
rah, Farmers Grain Union and others,
who are opposing the bond issue for
good roads.
Mr.. Barrett and Mr.. Harrah are
crrn,i the Bond Issue for the sim
L.o l.ason that they are like the little
boy who. il he could not be captain,
would not play.
La fact. the entire argument OF the
opposition to the Bond Issue may to
swept away with this one statement:
That the millionaire farmers are OPP
posing 1t because ii does not tuild a
load In frout of their individual
farme. They are selfish. ard unless
they can receive the whole benefit
they are going to oppose any move.
ment for ptogi eas and improvement
Whereby the county as a whole re
ceives benefit in greater poi tion thnn
they do individually.
The statement justly applies that
these millionaiie farmers do not want
10 spend any money for good roads but
want to save their money so rs to buy
their neighhots out and make gran
aries out of the school houses, In all
this vast farming section where 80
strenuous opposition to the Bond Issue
ali fn
between. In fact it Ia a mauless land.
The owners and operators live In the
cities and farm from the Outt stones,
They want no development because II
would out down their holdings and re-
duoe their enormous incomes
These same gentlemen who are now
opposing the Bond Issue persistently
state that they have been for yeais aud
still are in favor Of good roads, tut
during all the years that this element
has been in control of the good roads
association they have not done one
thing. They have not even improved
the dirt roads. All they have done
has teon to hold meetings, make
speeohss, get their names 10 the papers
and make big noise aud pin medals
on themselves.
] put 1t up to the people of Umatil'
la County IL II is fait aud just that
the lords of these haronial domains,
where small farm is not less than a
thousand acres, where there are nc
school houses. no community life, nc
rural development, shall dictate &c
the people Of Umatilla County. iu
all improvements bearing upon tbs
advancement of the county as whole,
leave 1t to the judgment Of The
voters ii it Is not hetter to have one
section Of land with ten families on Il
and school house. than to have tel
aectio, of land. no mau on them ant
no suhuol house. Is not the one sec
tion " ith the ten families entitled te
more consideration than the othery
IIcse lords Of the farming secliot
haul their produce to market but onc'
year. Yet they insist tnat IL roads
are built, the entire oIunty contrihuti
toward building roads for them TO us
one mouth 10 the year. They wan
the people as a whole to tuild then
private roadwsys that they may hau
their enormous wheat crops to thu
market at less expense aud then aban
don the road for The remainder OF thu
year.
The small farmer OH the small farm
hauls bis produce practically every
day In the year and where the bis
farmer computes bis cost and piofit'
in hundreds and thousands, thu small
farmer must compute bis costs anc
profits 10 dollats aud cents.
The row which has been raised o.
to the manuer 10 which tho Bond Is
sue was conceived, prepared aud PM
on tho ballot has nothire TO do. with
The merits Of tho Issue II is abso'