East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1917-05-10
Pierce Declares Bonding Plan
is Objectionable Because it
Will not Begin to do the WO:k
Proposed; Present Time A.
so Said to be UnfaVOrabIe.
PAY AS -YOU-GO PLAN IS
BEST FOR ALL INTERESTS

A vigorous attack upon the six mil
lion dollar road bond measure was
made last evening by senator Walter
/ Pierce OF Union county, who appear
| ed at the Arcade theater in join de-
| bate with Commissioner Adams.
| Pierce is well known as speaker in
! Gmatilla county which was his form
er home and he addressed his audi
ence as such He was roundly ap-
plauded throughout his talk AN his
arguments undoubtedly found favor
with many or his hearers.
senator Pierce opened and closed
the debate. He presented many re.
Sous why the bonding measure should
be defeated and predicted that il
would be lost under a mountain of
votes
In the first place. he said tn
monding plan is Objectionable be-
cause the money to he provided will
not begin to improve the amount of
road the proponents represent. They
represent. he said. that IL will inn
prove $50 miles of road This l. lese
than half Of the amount of roads des-
ignated for Improvement and NOR.
than twice the amount the money
will improve. he said. He declared
that the columbia river highway cos,
S4S.GO0 mile aud that s2U7. 0oa was
paid in royalties on this road.
Defends own BiII.
He objected to the bonding plan
declaring that big Interests are trv-
ing To bond everything. He believed.
he said. in the pay-as-you- go plan AMI
in this connection defended the bin
which he had introduced in the leg
islature providing for a mill and =
quarter direct road tax. This would
have provided $3.50. 0OO annually. ~
said besides the money received from
auto licenses and would have given
sufficient money for the commission !
to carry on extensive roadwork. In
addition. he said. his plan had the
merit that It could be dropped at any
time that taxpayers desired. WHERE
as the bonds would go on bearing in |
terest regardless OF the financial con
dition Of the state.
He declared that the people of the 1
state will be given chance to endorse |
a direct road tax at the fall election.
The $4,000 600 bonds. he said |
would only be a beginning. To hard /
surface all of the principal roads oi /
the state would require many times 7
$6. 900. .0O0. he said. and cited the fact !
that California had no sooner spent 4
her first $4,000. 900 than she wts
called upon to vote $4,000. 900 more. !
He declared that the intention of |
the bonding bill is that the state shall I
only surface the roads and that-ths
must build the base, inciud-
ing the rock. make the grade and
building the bridges. This would ne
cessitatc every county bonding itself
to the limit. he. said. The .comission.
he said had Interpreted the bill to
mean that the state shall.provide the
rock base as well as the surface. He
declared the courts Would not sup
port their Interpretation and that, "
il was supported. 1t would only mean
that the state could build that much
less roads with the money available
Moreover. he declared that the bill
provides that as soon as the county /
prepares its roads for hard surfacing
the commission must come through"
lt once There wouldn't he money
enough to meet all the demands. he
said.
Now Not the Time.
Senator Pierce declared that Mr..
Adams was urging that the bond
would enable the state to build great
deal Of road at once cod forbid"
he said. that We should try to buiid