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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (May 25, 1912)
JTOPPOttD MATH TRTKITOT, MEDFORT), OREGON. SAMTRTUY, MAY 25, 1912. PRESENT OREGON PROBLEMS ARE DISCUSSED AT EUGENE GE SIX u ;H hi Si I "8 ' MPORTANCE OF ELE n FK S SHOWN EUGENE. Ore., May 215. Worthy standards of living upon farm units ns vlowcil from the standpoint of olcctrlcnl development wns tho thomo of W. T. llnehnnnn, publicity director of tho Portlnnd llnllway, Light & Power company, before the fourth mutual Commonwealth con ference hero this morning. "Mr, Buchanan's paper contained tunny important fncta pertaining to the development of electricity In the stnto of Oregon, claiming that the chief hopo of tho country restect In n unck-to-the-farm movement through the use of electrical appli ances upon the farm. In analyzing his subject the speaker said: "Tho depletion of the rural fire sides of the young men and young women is having a deteriorating ef fect upon our national life. In 1S70 CO per cent of the national popula tion was upon tho farms. In 1S90 It whb 35 per cent; In 1900, 30 per cent, and in 1911, while the official figures are not yet published, It Is estlmnted at 27 per cent. The effect of this movement Is to change our sociological condltlou. The cure lies In two things primary transporta tion and improved labor saving de vices. Saves Much Lalwr. "In labor saving devices there Is ono field which presents marvelous possibilities and that is electricity. The minimum estimated potential water power development In the United States Is 26,000,000 horse power. Forty-three per cent of this amount is to be found In the states of Oregon, Washington and Califor nia. With that of Wyoming. Idaho and Montana, tho percentage Is In creased to CO. "Jt may not be known to every body, but tho possible water power of the United States Is located In four distinct sections tho Pacific slope, the New England states, the Great Lake region, and the states entered by the Southern Appalachian range of mountains. This Is really a small portion of the area of the entire country. Thus, tho water power sections are to be found around New York, around St. Paul, and Minneapolis; down in tho re gion of the Carollnas and, of course, our own coast country. If the far seeing statesmen of the nation and captains of industry are to be be lieved, these water power sections are destined to bo the manufacturing centers of tho United States for all time; and long after the coal and oil fields are exhausted. . Unique Picture. "Thus tho development of elec trical power for manufacturing and lighting, as well as heating, presents a very unique picture of the future. With CO per cent of thp water power upon the Pacific slope and that means light, power and heat It necessarily follows that this coast will be the greatest manufacturing country of the world. Where manu factures are to bo found tho donscst population exists. Therefore wo may assume that the future of this coun try is boyond the dreams of those living today. "With a largo part of this Im mense power within the grasp of the citizens of Oregon, It follows that tho farmer can here secure not only power, but light and heat at a very minimum price, sufficiently low to admit of producing modern comforts, and most of tho pleasures of city life within tho walls of his farm home. To this must be added the nearness of market, produced by a manufacturing center. Thus an Ideal economic condition Is produced. With the best market In the world, and comforts produced through tho use of electrical appliances, Oregon has a future that is assured. "Hero the farm unit will In reality ho a standard for other states to aspire to. Gains llnphlly. "Somo idea of the rapidity of tho water power development In tho United States for railway, lighting and powor eorvleo mtiy ho gained from, tho fact thnt in 1902 thoro wore 487,000 horso powor dovelopca and lu 1907 1,411,000, or nearly a 200 per cent Increase For 1911 tho amount of wutcr power develop ment was estimated nt over two nud one-half million horso power. The ubq of this development has not reached fur into tho rural districts, hut that It is spreading gradually is funlfest In many portions of tho country. In the very near future tho farmer will have his lighting, his heating and powor demands fulfilled by electricity from a coutral station. Thotpho may huvo within his houso Jbo electric flutlron, tho washer, tho wringer, tho Ice cream freezer, tho fan, the vacuum cleaner, tho thresh ing motor, the grinding sets, nud the multitude of electrical appliances which nre In common use In the city, as well as those applicable to agri cultural pursuits. "Already in Oregon thoro are 14S farmers using electricity on their farms. In the state of Washington thoro are BOO and In California there arc dCiO, according to statistics. In New York there nre 170 and In Ten uessce 200. "With tho railroads near by, the telephone to respond to Immediate wants, the electric power to supply human needs, there Is every reason to believe that Uie farm itself cau be made an Inviting place, nud thus be come the breeding spot of statesmen and rulers, as well as a citizenship through whose conservative thought and action tho heritages of the Anglo-Saxon race may be maintained nnd perpetuated." and won lu tho sumo way ns was that of the district schools, and Hirough tho same process of elimination vo havo como down to the question of maintaining a vtnto university of tho highest efficiency and usefulness u the state. The same objections me advanced, nud are founded on tho .same principles, nud will ho won lu the same way, and the opposition to tho university will entirely disappear." SHOULD PROTECT m POWER is SOURCE OF I 10 CAPITAL WHICH 1 M HI FIELD NORTHWEST i m AND ITS WORK FOR THE GOOD OF THE STATC EUGENE, Ore., May 21;. -The Im portance of the University of Oregon to the state was the priuclpal theme of tho talk of Hon. F. E Beach of Portland this evening nt the fourth annual commonwealth conference, held under the auspices of the Uni versity of Oregon. "The Problem of Transforming Oregon from a Merely Geographic to an Organic and Spirit ual Entity, was the formal title of Mr. Beach's discussion. "All questions of state building." said Mr. Beach, " taxation, social Justice, development of tho natural resources, good roads, standards Of living. Justice between employer and employe, corporation law, corpora tion supervision In fact the solution of all state problems, are merged In one organic entity, and each becomes a part of the prohlom of state build ing. Is Logical Factor. v'Tho state university Is the logical factor In leading public thought and stimulating activity in developing nil conditions to a higher standard of ef ficiency. The university should exist to serve tho people, not only along the Hues of imparting education to the students enrolled, but also to serve as a leader in thought and In crystallzlng public sentiment on nil questions before the people. "In order to do this, tho state should provide ample funds to enable the university to accomplish the ob ject for which it Is intended and to take Its place at tho head of our edu cational system. Salaries should be adequate to enable the regents to procure tho ablest Instructors In every department that can be obtain ed. The president of tho university should bo given first rank as un official of tho state. His opportunity for service to the state will bo greater than that of any other citizen, and more Important than that of govor- nor or of our representative In con gress. Mlllagu Basis Needed. "Tho question of providing funds for the university should bo placed on a mlllage basis, for If the amount !s limited and tho university hampered In Its work, the results will he unsat isfactory to Justify even a small ex penditure out if tho appropriations aro sufficient to meet nil require ments to put the university among tho first rank of educational institu tions in tho United States, then tho expendlturo will havo boon amply Justified. There lu no investment the taxpayers of Oregon can mako on which they will receive such large re turns for their money; and It will como back to them many fold, not only In tho education of the students enrolled, hut to the entire citizenship of tho state, and the advancement of every activity calculated to promote tho welfaro of tho commonwealth. "Eugene Is the geographical and logical location for such an Institu tion, especially so with tho comple tion of tho lines of railroads that will cross each other here, and make it poBalblo for students to reach tho university In a few hours from any part of the state. .Must lie Done by State. "Tho denominational colleges and the private institutions, while highly vuluablo to the Htute, cannot do this work. It must bo done, If done ut all, by a Btato Institution. A century ago tho American peoplo had tho ques tion of freo district schools to con tend with. Tho opposition which It met with wnH greater and more gen eral than tho ono which wo now huvo to tho university, hut It was bused on a principle of right, and won, and tho opposition entirely disappeared. "Tho next step was tho high schools, and tho same objection wns ralBed and tho satno fight was made! eminent In this work, EUGENE, Ore., May 25 "Thou sands of acres of public and private lands In tho arid portions of Oregon and Washington could ho Irrigated by pumping If only cheap powor wore available," was the statement by John H. Lewis, state engineer, In his paper on cooperation presented to the Joint meeting of the Oregon Conser vation commission, and the Common wealth conference at University of Oregon this afternoon. Only small tracts in the most favored localities can be Irrigated profitably at present power rates, and the United States reclamation service cannot furnish power at n less rate without a market for such power when not used for Ir rigation. The power demand for pumping would Increase gradually so that under an economical develop ment there would be large quantity cf surplus power for disposal for per haps ten or more years after comple tion of the plant." Policy Should I to Adopted. Mr. Lewis pointed out that some federal water power policy should soon be adopted, and that most of tho three million horse power in our streams would be subject to such pol icy. While the state controls tho water, yet no use could bo made of It without access to the stream, and this cannot be secured by condemna tion proceedings the same as across private lands. The state should therefore take an active interest in arriving at a proper state policy and In the shaping of the federal policy. So important is this subject to the future prosperity of the state that he urges a most thorough study and In vestigation or the whole matter with a view of adopting some definite state policy. If we aro to Jiavo public ownership and development, or com plete private monopoly In a given fluid, then the sooner these questions1 nre decided, the better for all. The state could well afford to expend several thousand dollars In the de tailed study of the technical features relating to tho cost of developing, transmitting and distributing elec trical power, and In ascertaining the extent of present nud possible future markets. No comprehensive policy or plan can be mapped out without definite Information. Explain, System. Tho state engineer explained the system of cooperation which has been in operation for 24 years, between the estates and the United States Geological survey, whereby tho states through direct appropriations aro en abled to secure the benefits of topo graphic surveys more speedily, and at less cost than by doing tho work itself. He suggested that similar co operation between tho stnto and tho United States Reclamation service might prove acceptable to tho people of the state, especially when it lu pointed out that by issuing state bonds, irrigation and water power de velopment could proceed Immediately without any cost to tho general tax payer. The cost of construction would be made a lien upon the land, or charged against tho peoplo benefit ed, to Insure the return of tho money with Interest. No project would be undertaken until thoroughly studied, and contracts secured to Insure com plete success both from the financial us well as tho practical side. Por hups ongress in view of such offer would vote bonds to an equal amount for work within Oregon. The stnto would designate somo cooperating of ficer who would not only represent tho stato in the expenditure of its money, but havo an equal voice lu the expendlturo of government funds, Just us new projects aro studied out and undortukon by tho secretary of the interior with reclamation funds, so tho cooperative funds would ho available for expenditure, by tho stuto's representative, acting lu co operation with tho secretary, and no project could ho undertaken which was not approved by both. Even If tho state hud to furnish all tho funds, for tho first fow projects hoforo rec lamation funds were available, tho stato could lose nothing, nor would It Increase tho burden of taxation un less somo total failure occurred which Is not yory llkofy lu view of tho extensive exporlonco of tho gov- Et'GENE, Ore., May 2.V O. I). Hubooek, head of the corporation department of tho secretary of state's office, this aftornuon ut the fourth annual Commonwealth con ference discussed "Corporation Law and Corporation Supervision for Oregon to Insure Safety to Investors nud Efficiency for Development." The speaker referred to tho early history of corporation legislation lu Oregon, and showed that the ener gies of tho legislature along thin line were devoted to enacting laws that would encourage capital to en ter tho state, and that up to thu pres ent time practically no sufeguards for the Investor have boon provided. Tho time has arris ed, he said, to enact a law that will protect tho buyer as well as tho seller of stock. That this can he best accomplished by a law similar to tho Kansas lllue Sky law Is tho opinion of Mr. Hab cock. Secretary of Stato Olcott and some of the leading lawyers of tho state. Work on a measure of this character has boon uuiior way for several months, and It probably will bo submitted to the people under the Initiative at tho November elec tion. .Must Show tho Goods, The law will provide thnt every corporation organized la this state, except state and national banks and corporations not organized for prof It, shall submit to tho corporation commissioner with Its articles of In corporation copies or all bonds, con tracts, and other papers relating to Its organization, also a complete statement of Its financial condition. If tho commissioner (lads that the papers so submitted provide for a fair, Just nnd equitable plan of busi ness and promise a fair return on the stocks and bonds offered for sale. he shall Isjuo a charter to the cor poration; if ho thinki it desirable he may make an Investigation of the company's affairs, at the expense of the corporation, before granting the charter, or ho may roluse to Issue a charter. ,J The commlssloncnirLI) .also ho au thorized to require f&i 'publication of flunnclal statements St any time. The making of itwy fnU statement or writing In any book or newspaper will Incur a penalty of flue and Im prisonment lu tho stato penitentiary Public to He Informed. Another safeguard proposed Is to require every coriwatlou to publish In the county lu which Its principal place of huslnciss li located, notice of Its Intention to apply for a charter. Tho speaker maintained that many corporations of a questionable char acter will be unable to stand this preliminary publicity. Mr. Hnbcock took tho position that the only way in which the peoplo can bo protected is tho enactment or a stringent law regulating tho super vision or corporations and the sales or stock; that tho administration or tho law should be entrusted to a competent official who shall servo under bond and be held strictly ac countable for results; that the law should bo liberally construed as to legitimate corporations so as not to hamper thu lndiutrlul development of the state. It Is estimated that tho proposed law will produce about $20,000 per year new revenue, In addition to what Is now being received, and It Is conservatively estimated thut It will savo to tho people or tho stato at least u million dollars u year now thrown away on worthless stocks. OREGON'S GOOD ROAD PROBLEMS ARE DISCUSSED EUGENE, Ore,, May 215. Tho "Economic and Social Factors In Ore gon's Good itoad Problem" was the title of a paper read ut tho fourth uiuitiul Commonwealth conference at University of Oregon hy George Putnam of Medford. Mr. Putnam's paper follows; Every progressive, citizen realizes tho value of good roads and tho part they pluy in tho development of tho country nud of tho people. That Oro gon has lagged behind nor sister states lu development Is duo ns much to tho nogloct of her highways us to tho lack of railroads, Tho Isolation resulting has produced tho reaction, ary provincialism that characterizes so largo u proportion of her popula tion and makes necessary campaigns of education to Induce tho people to hotter their own conditions, lnurouso tho value of tholr property and make Itfo inoro enjoyable. Railroads uro a creation or yester day, but highways are us old as civil ization Itself. Home controlled hair the world through highways nud hor roads still serve us models to tho modern world. Yet for over half a century lu tho most progressive In dustrial cm the world hits known, tho hovorolgn stato of Oregon never built a mllo of good road. Constitution Is IttilL Lino. Ono would think that tho sturdy pioneers who drove tholr pralrlo M'hoouors thousands of miles across thu plains would have loarud the value of good roads; that tho early settlors living tholr lives of Isolation and loll lu a country where tho whis tle ot mu locomotive was never hoard, would havo realized tho neces sity of good roads; that In tho porlod or Industrial development that pro ceeded and followed tho railroad tho colonists would huvo grasped tho utility nud necessity of adequate highways, hut thoy did not. Instead thoy framed a constitution that was purposely designed to hinder mid pre vent the construction or good loads. Thoy bound themselves and their de scendants with chains that still bind and years or weary tiffort havo not inado us free. Tho Oregon constitu tion, a product or uuothor ago and primitive conditions, as Interpreted by Oregon courts, still makes It Im possible to legally build highways, and the construction underway Is In upon defiance of the law. Tho advent of tho automobile Is primarily responsible for tho goo'd I loads sentiment of today. It has j made possible the traveling of coun try roads with tho comfort, safely and speed of tin; passenger train. It has awakened public sentiment to the science of highways nud good roads havo become tho all Important sub ject of every state. Hut tho automo bile Is of minor economic Importance compared to the volume or traffic drawn by animals. Pi eight Statistics. Tho railroads of thu United States move two billion tons of freight an nually, most of which Is, first trans ported by wagons. The cost or mov ing freight by wagon over our present road system averages 2f rents por ton mllo nnd for tho same cost the railroads haul a ton or freight 10 miles. With an adequate system of roads, freight can bo hauled with horso power for 12 1-2 centH per ton mllo and less. Good roads uro of far more Import auco to tho farmer than to any other class lu tho community, yet most of too opposition lu Oregon comes from the farmer. Good roads make his property easily accessible, bonce In crease Its value. It cuts In two his cost or marketing and stimulates his production, thereby Increasing his profits. It enables him to got out more frequently to break uway from tho monotony of farm life, and makes existence more enjoyable. Good roads bring tho country to tho city and the city to the country. They weld a community or Interest that will do much to t:olve tho prob lem or ovor-dovoloped city and under developed country, Thoy raise tho standard of tho farm ns tho paved street frnlsM the standard of the city homo. Pave a city street and tho unkempt appearance gives place to well kept lawns and tidy yurds, Dili Id u fine highway, and a farm rapidly loses Its look or hopeless dis order, nud a new standard or -living appears. Must Iti'inovo Isolation. Tho typical furniur'H narrow, hope less vlow of lire gives way with good roads to u broader nud more optimis tic outlook. Progress replaces sllur- lanlaiu. Ho sees tuoro or tho world, and tho world sees morn or him. Thu fundamental cause of mossbucklsm Isolation, is removed. As a rulo, thu peoplo want good roads, hut they don't want to pay for tlieuiT" Many a man petitions nud votes for u road nnd when ho gels It, wastes 100 worth of tlmu and ener gy In howling about a $10 Incrouso in taxes. Many Oregonlaus, tho ma jority, never saw a really good road, constructed on tho right principles of building thorn, Tho fundamentals and necessity of road building nnd maintaliiauco should ho taught In every public school lu tho hind. Under thu Oregon )uw, county road und brldg-3 construction Is under tho supervision of tho county court, com posed or tho county Judgo and county commissioners. At tho first meeting of tho year, thoy appoint tho imper- vlsors or tho various road districts into which tho county Is divided. Half of tho road levy Is spout under direc tion of tho county court In general road and bridge work; tho other half Is returned to thu districts and spontl by thu supervisors Individually, System Obsolete. This systepi Is obsolete and absurd. Tho county Judgo generally draws from $1000 to $1800 u year salary, nnd looks aftur tho probate buslnouM of tho county. Tho commissioners uro puld $11 u duy uud expenses und nieut with tho Judgo ouro or twice a month. Thoy employ a road master to havo supervision over general nmtl work. Tho piohaln business should ho olihur luriiod uxor (o tho circuit court or tho county court bo given Jurisdiction over minor cases, and tho office segregated from tho com- mlsshuiors, Tho supervisors should ho abolished, for ouch works uerurd lug to his own fancy, fow of thorn un derstand the subject, fewer still have a scientific training, and tho result Is a hodge-podge of A 7 varieties of roads, none of thorn good. Most of tho supervisors' money Is spent lu makeshift repairs uud temporary work that has to ho ihuio all over again tho next your, The muiiey handled by supervisors Is lu most Instance, wasted and thin hi hair of the money spout annually on roads lu Oregon, It Is no exaggeration to say that most of tho other half has boon wasted ulflo, duo to tho piuvall Ing Ignorance uud lucompotuuco of county officials, who mo elected us ually ollhor on account of their per sonal popuhiilly or on account of tholr stlngyuchs I. o ability to keep taxes low, capacity being an Item sel dom considered by the electorate uud tho i enumeration being too small to (ompt trained men. Auto I'loblein, Tho automobile, which awakened good roads sentiment, has also added a now problem. Tho road designed by .loh u Macadam has pi oven Inade quate. Tho stool the and the cork or tho horso shoo In tlmo grind tho lock to dust This dust has cemented and formed a top dressing, which Im proved tho road, hut tho unto picks up this dust hy suction anil throws It out Into tho air, so tho problem of a iiiuuor that u ill bo i ustloss and stnud tho traffic of both wagon and automobile tates tho Ingenuity of the world and makes loadhulldliig a science by Itself. Many binders servo the purpose, but tho cost Is prohibi tive ror country roads. Experiments havo been made In nil, tar, asphalt and cement, nil of which servo the purpose, but what Is practical lu one place, Is prohibitive lu another, .to that tho question Is after all a local problem, which uach community must work out. Each county should, hy soil and rock analysis, ascertain for each contemplated road, the treat ment required. Thu typo of road to be built de pends entirely upon the character and volume of traffic and tho materials at hand, as-well as the money available for construction. Earth and gravel roads, properly graded, drained and maintained aro sufficient In sparsely settled districts, hut ror tho main trunk linos or tho county, a hard sur face, road Is tho only one that will withstand tho narrow stool tiro ami tho automobile. Hotter fa narrow hard surface road, than u wide rock macadam. Macadam a I'ulliirc. Macadam has proved a failure lu our city streets. It Is expensive of malntnlnauco and unsatisfactory,. no matter how excellent tho material. It Is equally unsatisfactory for tho much traveled county load. In sum mer It Is dusty, In winter tho auto tears out ruts. Either a bituminous asphalt or a cement concrete Is tho satisfactory solution, and the cost or a narrow road Is not oxcosslvo Mate rials for tho mauiifaeturo of cement exist lu largo quantities lu many Ore gon counties, uud Its inanufactuto will bo ono of tho loading Industries of tho future. It will eventually ho cheapened to n figure that will unable its universal use on our main high ways. Jackson county has a macadam road between Medford und Jackson ville. It In dusty lu summer, nud rutty lu winter. It cost over $8000 a mllo, und was not properly con structed, yet Is an excellent road. Ono Interesting result of Its construction, was tho establishment of an unto stugo"mak(ug hair hourly trips. The owner began business with a $700 second-hand cur and In n year was running three cars. Ho charged .l.' cunts a round trip as against tho rail road's HO contH. Tho railroad made six trips a day. At tho expiration or thu year, the railroad ran hourly trips ut 2fi cents u round lrlp( and tho unto lino had cut Into tho railroad's re ceipts $1000 a mouth- which shows ono unexpected result of u good road enabling cheap competition with rail roads, buttering tholr service and lowering tholr charges. Cost of lloads, Tho cost or macadam roads of from 10 to 20 root In width runs from $0000 to $10,000 a mllo, tho average lu coast status being $7200, Tho cost lu Jackson county for quarrying, crushing, hauling uud laying crushed rock has run from $1,28 per cubic yard to $11, dependent upon length of haul and quarry facilities. Tho roads II Inchon thick, 1(1 reel wldo, cost from V'1000 to $r.r,()0 a mllo, nud Jueksou county with Its convenient quarries and modern equipment, built thu cheapest roads lu tho state, Oregon with wonderful scenic at tractions, cllmullu resources and pic turesque possibilities has entirely neglected one of Its greatest assets thu tourist truffle, With Itu iitUuru! wonders liliulo accessible, fioni tho Oiogou Caves and Outer Lake lu southern Oregon to I ho top uf Ml. Hood lu tho north, with adequate highways, will How a never ceasing stieam of money spending touihits, that annually will ilmp enough moil ey lu Oiogou lo pay (ho Intoiest oil tho cost of all tho scoiilo boulevards possible lo construct, that will ouch your advertise thioiuihnot the world tin- beauty and ullraetlvoiioss of the stato ami bring an over liicroiislug number of dosliublo hunwseokois lo occupy our Idle tracts und' develop our latent iohouitIis. Legislation. Two legbdatAo pioblems ato bo font tho peoplo of Oregon to solse hoforo any inalorhil ptugroifit rim. ho uiiido lu good roads state aided highways must ho made possible, and state and counties nuthoilxod to con tract road Indebtedness us cities do paving Indebtedness Tim fit Mt ro- qulres a constitutional amendment, and tho second uu enabling act lo put Into effect tho amendment passed lu HMO. Good toads agitation In Oiogou has boon financed fioiu two sourc'v--dlslntorested Individuals who coiittlh tiled from u public spliltod motive and load machinery houses acting fiom purely selfish mot Urn. The campaign conducted for good loads has therefore been suspected of being partially lu (ho Interest of road equip ment cqucuriirt nud ongeiidoiod tho susplcloii thnt tho proposed contrail utloii of all toad building lu tho bands of a stnto commissioner was In toallly tho creation or a political orgaulMf tlou for the sale of mini machinery. Tho good road campaign has been sadly muddled. Two .) ears ago. peo plo thought they bail nettled tho prob lem when the) adopted a ronntllu tloiial amendment permitting coun ties to Incur liidohtoduos for perinu- noni roads. Intent Was Clour. On tho supposition thnt tho amendment mount whut It Maid, nud tho Intent was clear, tin people of .Inch ron county proceeded to vote loads for permanent hlghwu), hut the supremo court derided, lu offoel, that tho county had no right to Issue bonds ami that tho amendment re quired an enabling act, and that tho bonds worn Invalid, lu this touneo tlou, .attention In culled to tho fact that tho Oregon supremo court tins been an effective and consistent enemy of good roads, and whenever ponslble lias taken tho narrow Inter pretation of tho constitution lo pre vent highway building, lu thu Crater Lake toad case, It buhl that tho Crater Lake National park was a local affair and tho appropriation for tho stato highway to make ac cessible Oregon's greatest natural wonder wns therefore declared void. This Is hut one of many decisions lu which the court has tbiottled nt-, tempts to develop tho state by ade quate highways. Legislation proposed during tho legislative session was made n political football, held up until the closing hours of tho ses sion, faultily amended and rushed through. As thu bills conflicted with eaclr other, thoy wore xetoed by tho governor at tho request of tho good roads associations Two years moro of valuable tlmo was lost. Committee Named. Tho governor appointed a special committee consisting or lopresentu lives from all counties, who acting with tho various associations, formed tho Oregon Association for High way Improvement, drafted a series of hills for submission to tho people hy Initiative petition, Those wore fairly good measures, but met with opposition from tho opponents or progress becaiiHo thoy provided ror liberal statu aid lu road construction. To conciliate this opposition, tho as sociation withdrew thu hills, and framed others which aro now being clrciilalod. Ono of tho bills creates a state board and highway commissioner and provides for stato road bonds Issued at tho rate or ujpillllou dollars an nually fur stale roads, It ought to ho two oii inoro millions. An tho c,oustltutluu now stands, this net would bo unconstitutional, An at tempt Is made to make It constitu tional by submitting ut the same tlmo u pioposod amendment to section 7, urtlclo 11 of tho constitution, raising tho limit of stato Indebtedness for PvU'iuuiiout roads to 2 per cent of (bo assessed valuation; but this consti tutional amenduient wilt not ho op erative until tho polls clone on elec tion day. This raises u question or tho validity or thin und tho other measures If oiluctod. Thoro hi no other objection. Two Per Cent Limit. Instead or presenting an enabling act to carry Into effect tho constitu tional iimondiuout adopted In 1010, tho association offers n now coiisll- " tiitloual amendment limiting tho uinount or a county's permanent road Indebtedness lo two por cent or tho assosHod valuation, nud uu enabling act carrying It Into ofrect, which pro vldoii In section 1.1 Unit tho procoodn .' . (Coiitlmiod on 1'uko 8.) sW'CatfrffftK. -' WWiMMMt i - lAW.