Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-05-24
Argument In Favor of
$6,OOO,OO0 Bond Issue
tBy Walter L. Teoze, Secretary Marion
County Good Roads Committed

are Nttally interested in good roads .anG
who are anxious TO DE correctly inform
ed as 10 the 6 million dollar bond issue
as proposed in house bill No. $50 upon
which our citizens are TO vote al the
special election June :, 1917. the fol
lowing facts and figures are extremely
interesting and significant.
The 4 mill tax paid by Marion
county taxpayers into the state high
way fund was:
Sl0,527l7 for the year 1914.
Sl0,31007 for the year 1915.
SlO,2S739 for the year 1916.
S9,S29l9 for the year 1917.
A grand total of Sal ,0l3.S2 paid by
Marion county citizens and taxpayers
to the state highway fund during the
past four years. For this large sum or
money, what has been received in re-
turn, by our citizensl -r
The state highway commission has
expended about $4,000 for the ex-
pert examination and condemnation Of
the Salem bridge across the Willamette
and for maps and plans for new struc
ture. This amount deducted from SAL, :
0l3.S2 leaves $37,6l3.S2 paid by our
taxpayers in Marion county from which
we have received not one penny s
worth Of highway improvement. Our dill
/ igent and competent County Judge
Bushey, realizing the inequity of this
condition of affairs placed the matter
( before the highway commission and on
March 18th, from the minutes Of the
commission, we secure the following
/ important information.
Judge Bushey sent the commission
word to the effect that Marion county
had $60,000.00 ready for pavement on
the Pacific highway and that a large
portion of this road was practically
ready for the laying of pavement at
this time. The secretary of the commits
sion was instructed to inform the coun-
/ ty court of Marion county, that if the
bond issue is voted for, and the road
bed in condition for paving that they
ican depend on having substantial
amount for paving in Marion county,
out of the first funds available"
At the Gervais good roads meeting
on May 20th, Mr.. Benson, chairman of
the highway commission publicly con
firmed the above statement and made
it very plain that the intention of the
commission is to pave the Pacific high
way through Marion county from Auro
ra to Jefferson.
Federal reports show that in al
states where permanent highways are
constructed the value of land doubles
and often rises to twice and even three
times its former value. How many mil
lions of dollars will a paved Pacifi;
highway add to the taxable wealth OF
Marion county? 60,00000 lie unused il
our county treasury for this purpose
Safe, indeed, to say to the voters anC
taxpayers of Marion county that this
amount is greatly in excess of the
amount required to prepare the Pacific
highway by drainage and grading to'
the state highway commissioners par
of the job.
If Marion county is to realize on hel
investment up to date of 37,6l3Se
which is the state highway tax alread,
paid, and on the annual "A mill ia,
hereafter levied, our citizens mus
awaken to the vital necessity of secu'
inc state funds by voting " Yes Nc
3l4 on June 4, 1917. You have pai'
this tax for four years and will con
tinue so to do. Why not secure tn
benefits and secure them now instead
of ten or twenty years hence. Ever,
voter of this county should support thu
measure gladly and fall over each 9th
err to get to the polls to vote eyes
June 4, 1917. If every automobile own
er will see to it that his machine
| filled to its entire capacity with Yc
= voters, on or about election day, tn
measure will be overwhelmingly sue
t cessful. The "No' voters should wal
and on unpaved highways at that.
, 1t is up to the progressive men an
women voters of Salem and Mario
county to win.
Even the secretary of war of thes
United States advocates the paving o
this great highway for military pun
, poses for it is a great national asset
] case of possible future eXigency. Ar
our citizens wiser than he! Are we be
ter informed? You say that =" the raj
roads will always transport troops an
munitions of war. - Great heavens! tn
q railroads cannot move our Oregon spuC
q and grain.
Three wears ago the German trool
q would have captured Paris had it ne
4 been that France has permanent higl
a wavs. Every auto and auto truck rusl
4 ed troops from Paris to the front {
u the great battle Of the Marne and sa'
Il ed Paris. There should be no clam
q like the lamp of experience" Use
II now.
In conclusion, it is estimated that
81 costs OH an average Of $20,O00.OO ann
81 ally for the country to keep the Paclt
u highway in repair When paved this e.
"a ,onsa will for ten wears be almost