Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-05-24
ROAD BONDS SUBJECT
OF JOINT DISCUSSION
Pomona Grange at Macleay
Entertams Speakers. But
Is Against Bonds

The road bond eamraiknefs NlStt'u
Pomona grange al Nacleay yesterday 10
advocate the passage Of the so,OOO,uVV
road bond bill. The result was spirit
ed debate ON the merits Of the pending
measure, and a test vote taken at the
close of the meeting attended by prob
ably 100 voters, showed but nine votes
in favor Of the bonds
{ The occasion the discussion was an
open meeting of Marion county Pomona
grange at Macleay, where there was an
all day meeting, 81 fine dinner being
served at noon.
The road bond discussion took place
in the afternoon.
W. II. Jones. in calling the assembly
TO order, said that they had discussed
all of the bills on the ballot down to
the road bill, which would then he
taken up, and that each of the speakers
who had come 20 advocate the bond
issue would have 10 minutes to discuss
the measure.
Walter l.. Tooze was the first speak
er, and he made a fine argument Tor
his side and appealed to the patriotism
of his audience, telling them that the
department of war had requested the
state to complete the Pacific highway
for possible military use IN the near
future.
He was followed by Mr.. Benson, who
in l5 minutes suid about as much and
said il about as we'll as he usually does
when he has more time. He seems TO
be at his best under high pressure.
Isaac l.. Patterson, OF Polk county,
was the next advocate of the bonds. He
told of the advantages which good
roads will be to the farmer, especially
from the farmer standpoint, showing
that he was a farmer himself, and tell
ing of his own troubles arising from
the present poor roads.
Mention was made. during the dis
cussiOn. of the good road system of
Washington, where in the last few
years, the dairyIng industry has in
creased 1000 per cent, owing to the I'M
proved methods of getting the cream
and milk to the creameries and the CON
sumer.
The Other Side.
Genevieve Patton rendered a musical
selection, after wrich Mrs. Zella ;.
Fletcher was the first of the speakers
TO oppose the bonds. She read well,
worded paper. Her ADDRESS was punct-
uated by applause from the audience,
She had good presence, possesses a
good voice and altogether made fine
impression.
One of the weak points of the pro
posed bond bill, Mrs. Fletcher said, lay
in the loose organization of the commits
sion which will have the work in charge,
end of the poor business methods out.
! lined. The charge was made that the
bill was rushed through the legislature
without a careful consideration by the
members. The author of this paper
recommended that the state follow the
policy of fiTs5 using money which is al
! ready at, hand. and in the meanwhile
allow the highway commission to be.
come accustomed to the work The next
/ legislature. il was declared, would then
be the proper body to pass this measure
, A feature Of the program introduced
at this point, was the singing of the
"'Star Spanglcd Banner by TheIma
and Hazel Martin. The selection was
heartily applauded.
} Is. L ltitutIE was lOliVN'h ~ ~ -
Darby, master Of the Aumsyille grange
who made d good speech for his side
| He also received much applause. Ht
/ charged the friends of the measure with
| dishonest and false statements in re
gard to lis merits, and said that if this
reason and no other, the bonds should
. be defeated He expressed the opinion
that few reap the bcnetit of the bond
measure, while the majority Of the peo
pie would wait and then wait somt
more.
Miss Gcncyicve Patton gave several
readings after Mr. Darby's conclusion
which were appreciated.
About that time II. G.. Starkweather
of the Milwaukee grange, came IN. and
Mr.. Tooze asked permission for hlm &c
speak 10 minutes on behalf of the bond
issue. This was readily granted, and
in that short time he made a gooc
speech.
John p. Robertson, of the Salem
grange. closed the active discussion
against the bonds by charging the
committee with Withholding the facts
from the public that the license law
WAS NlN NbI0ll iNlIOildl' Ni'N'' ''''
wered by Mr. Tooze by saying that the
United States supreme court had dc
cided a similar law unconstitutional III
Maryland, thus eliminating that danger
from the working Of the measure.
Discussion Of the other measures
was held in the forenoon session, at
which time Mr. Robertson went ON rec
ord as being opposed to all the meas
ures. Seymour Jones, Marion county
representative in the last legislative scs
sion, told Of the need Of new prison
and of his work in preventing the bii
to pass as originally introduced, when
it did not specify the county in whicf
the new pcntentiary was'to be built
putting in the clause which says, the
board Of control is authorized to choose
a site in the county where it is now 10
cated.N -
The road campaigners were pleased
with the treatment accorded them by
the grange, although sentiment was
largely against the bonds. They re
ceived close attention and were treated