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About Malheur enterprise. (Vale, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (April 21, 1917)
.SATURDAY, APRIL Si, 10i7, THE MALHEUR ENTERPRISE PAGE SEVN HARNEY FAVORS BONOS Malheur County Boosters Explain Law and Ilnrney County Asso ciation Fnvnra Mrnnnri. Mnnrlnv nli?ht the TnnnWAtnn hnll filled to overflowing with an enthu siastic crowd of citizens from Burns and different parts of Harney county to near tne discussion ot tne bonding bill by prominent speakers among whom were Senator Julicn A. Hurley oi valo nnd Juugc uaiton. Uiggs and P. J. Gnllaghcr of Ontario, says the Burns Tribune. Besides the speccho! an interesting program had been ar ranged and the crowd was entertain ed between nddresses with musical se lections. The big mass meeting has been proclaimed by far the most suc cessful ntihlie meetincr that has ever been held in Burns, and by practically a unanimous vote the citizens present went on record as favoring the pas sage of the bond issue and from the indication at the present time there is no doubt but what the measure will pass in Harney county. A concert by the Levcns Theatre orchestra commenced the evenings en tertainment. Miss Drusilla Dodson rendered a reading, Mrs. Chester Dal ton sang a solo and a musical selec tion by the saxaphone quartet brought forth applause from tho appreciative nudience. P. J. Gallagher of Ontario was the first speaker on tho program and his words aroused tho public1 to the need of better roads in this state and coun ty. He was followed by Judge Dalton 'Biggs who presented both sides of the bonding question and with well chosen words decided explicitly in favor of the bond issue. Senator Julien A. Hurley, of Vale, was the main speaker of the evening by reason of his being a part of the legislature that passed the road leg islation and his explanation of the working of the bonding act together with tho other road legislation pass ed was well worth anyone's time. He explained quite clearly and concisive ly that tho bond issue was as vital to the people of Eastern Oregon as it was to those of Western Oregon, nnd his talk cleared up many doubt ful impressions of the bill. In part he said as follows: "The $6,000,000 bond issue togeth er with the $3,600,000 furnished joint ly by the state and tho federal gov ernment constitutes the entire amount to be spent in tho event the bond is sue passes. To pay off this bond is sue tho .025 mill levy that has been collected by the state highway board and the automobile license money will be used. Both of these measures are already a law and will have to be paid whether or not the bond issue carries." He also considered at length the different features of the bill and many of those present who came to hear him were impressed and went away in favor of the bond. Immediately following Mr. Hurley's nddress the following resolution were practically unanimously passed: "We, tho members of the Harney County Good Roads Association, after due and careful consideration of the $6,000,000 road bonding act realize that it is a step in the right direction toward the development of the State of Oregon and that with its passage Harney county will come in for its aare of the moneys to be spent, "Therefore, we wish to go on i-eord as favoring the passage of the road bonding act, and "Be it further resolved, That the members and officers of this associa tion use their influence to that end." The evening's entertainment was nrranged by a committee of which Curley Potter was chairman and prov ed entirely successful. State Road System. Before Oregon can secure the ben efits of the Federal Appropriations made under the Shackleford Bill, a system of state highways must be laid out and submitted formally to tho U. S. Government road officers. Under the terms of the act, the State Highway Commission of each state is required to lay out such a system, in contemplation of five years' continuous work in using joint federal and state funds for highway improve ment. To conform with these requirements Oregon's State Highway Commission has designated as a "System of State Roads," the highways shown in the accompanying map. Those roads designated in tho pend ' ing bonding measure, which' is to be voted upon by the people June 4, are shown in heavy lines on the accom panying map, together with.the names of tho cities through or near which the highways pass, and wording to in dicate the class of highway, whether "Paved," "Paved and Post," "Post Road" or "Forest Road," as the case may be. The commission also has designat ed such other roads as in its judgment should be included in the official sys tem of state highways: These addi tional designations are shown on the map by a lighter line than that used to set forth the roads specified in the bonding act. Should the bonding act carry, there will be funds sufficient, it is asserted, to place all the highways designated on this map in condition for traffic, including about 600 miles of paved highway. Should the bond issue fail, the com mission will do the best it can to cov er as much of the designated mileage as possible. Tho funds for construe tion would be in small annual amounts for the five years, and probably would be required, the commission has indi cated, to put the trunk highways in shape in the more populous part of the state, but even on those trunk highways there would be no money available for paving. Road Bond Measure Will Not Increase Taxes ROAD LAW EXPLAINED Able, Dispassionate and Readable An alysis of Main and Related Ques tions, By Portland Club Com. (From Oregon Voter.) Issues presented by the proposed $6,000,000 bonding measure for im provement of the roads of the stato are in many instances being confused with matters not concerned with or relating to this measure. Much road legislation was placed on our statute books by our last legislature nnd it is this which is confusing the voter. In order to discuss tho proposed bond issue it will therefore be necessary to outline briefly certain measures bearing on this issue but which arc already matters of existing law nnd will not come before tho people for approval or rejection. New Road Laws Passed. The entire mass of road legislation under which the counties of the state have been so blindly groping in a hopeless effort to establish their rights and powers for the. past few years was swept away by repeal at the last session of the legislature in an effort to bring out of this chaotic condition a unified Highway Code. This new Code is ombodicd in House Bills 469 and 519, wherein are laid down the rights and powers of the several counties of the state, in the matter of their road situation. Auto License Doubled. In order to provide a larger income for the state road fund and impose on the. chief road users a large propor tion of the costs of maintenance of our pubic highways the Motor Vehi cle Law, in House Bill 509, was re vised with the provision as one of its features that the license tax on all motor vehicles be doubled. The estimated income on the basis of the present registration of motor vehicles which would be available for the road fund will next year be some $310,000. This money, by the terms of the act is to be turned over each year to meeting the obligations arising under the acceptance of a Federal measure known as the Shackleford Act. Un der this and other provisions, how ever, the money will virtually be in the hands of the State Highway Com mission for expenditure for road improvement. Government Will Match State. The so-called Shackleford Act pro vides appropriation from funds of the Federal Government to the several states of the Union of certain sums of money to be used upon certain roads Agreed upon by Federal and State representatives jointly to be designated as post roads and forest roads. This act has in contemplation the making possible of mail delivery ov er a greater number of roads through out the more distant parts of the state. One" fundamental condition, however, under which this fund may become available to any state is that such state shall raise an equal amount to be de voted to the same purpose. During the next five years there will be available to the state of Ore gon the sum of approximately $1,- 800,000. House Bill 21 of the Oregon Legislature nccepted the provisions of this Federal Act and authorized a bond issue if such might be required above such available road funds as might bo in the state treasury at the time such money might be required. Highway Commission Crditcd. In contemplation of tho inaugura tion of a broad and comprehensive road program for Oregon in the near future, House Bill 502 provided for the creation of a State Highway Com mission as a body of three men ap pointed by the Governor, one from each Congressional District of tho state, to serve for a period of three years without compensation. To avoid a complete change in tho personnel of tho commission every three years, provision is made for the retirement of one member each year. The handling of all road funds of the state is hereafter to bo in the hands of this commission. ' Road Levy Made. A further provision of this bill is the levy of a one-fourth mill tax on all taxable property of the state, the funds derived from which tax are to be placed under the control of this commission for use in construction of roads throughout the state. The es timated revenue under this bill will, next year, be some $220,000. The men who have been appointed on this commission are S. Benson of Portland for the three year tcrm,-W. L. Thompson, a prominent banker of Pendleton for the two-year term and E. J. Adams, a businessman of Eu gene, for the one-year term. Bonding Measure Considered. The specific subject of this report, House Bill 550, providing for a bond issue in the amount of $6,000,000 the proceeds of which is to be used in the immediate construction of certain de signated roads, is, it appears, some what confused with the legislation above outlined. All of the measures just outlined are or soon will be in effect, and will carry out their pro visions regardless of the outcome of this one measure, which is to be re ferred to the popular election on June four, next. This bill provides in brief as fol lows: The State Highway Commis sion already created by House Bill 502 is empowered and directed to issue bonds bearing interest at the rate of four per cent to the amount of $6, 000,000. Of this sum not over $1,000,000 worth shall be issued during tho first year, and not over $2,000,000 worth in addition during the second year. Of the entire issue- at least $600,-' 000 worth shall be issued in denomi nations of $500 or less. Such bonds as shall be issued shall be payable one-twentieth each year, commencing with the sixth yenr after issuance of these bonds is to be used along lines designated in the bill. Main Roads Paved. Certain roads are in tho measure designated as highways of first im portancc, and such are to be perma nently constructed and finished with a hird surface. These are to be known as hard-surfaced highways. Post Roads Designated. In addition to these hard-surfaced highways there arc named in the bill certain post and forest roads by joint agreement of representatives of the Federal and state governments. These roads arc not to be improved by the funds provided under this bill, but from the bonds and appropriations au thorized under House Bill 21, in con junction with the 'Federal appropria tions of the Shackleford Act. Fur ther provision is made that sixty per cent of such money shall be spent on roads cast of the Cascade mountains. All roads designated under these classifications will be found named in the text of the proposed measure as well as outlined on published plats. Comission May Build Roads. The Highway Commission is given some discretional power in tho matter of making minor changes in roads and in improving roads other than those herein -designated provided the funds prove sufficient. The letting of contracts for road improvement is to be handled in the same manner as at present provided by law. All bids are to be opened in public and contracts awarded in the same public manner. If the com mission deems all bids unreasonable they are authorized to reject all pro posals and carry on tho work under their own direction. Must Grade Roads If Paved. One general requirement of tho measure is the provision that each county in which hard surfacing is to be done must at its own expense do all grading of the highway prepara tory to the surfacing. Exception in this provision is made in the case of certain counties which have already done much work upon their roads and have reached the limit of their bond ing power for road appropriations Revenue Will Pay Bonds. Plans for amortization of this loan have been rather carefully prepared and under the showing in the pub lished tables the income from tho sources named, i. e., the one-fourth mill tax and the vehicle tax, will in the twenty-five years which will elapse before the last of these bonds will be retired caro for the entire sum, both principal and interest, and leave a surplus in 1942, tho ond of the bond ing period, of $1,700,000. I urthermore, these figures are all based on present tax income, and no recognition is taken of the probabili ty that in this period there may be ' a greater number of motor vehicles in operation in the state, or that the assessed valuation of property in the state may bo higher and thus the in come from tho orio-fourth will bo greater. What Is Your Answer? The rcnl question at issue in the approval or rejection of this bond is sue is this: Shall we use the credit of the state to develop our road system now and realize in the present the stimulus and commercial advan tage of. an adequate system of highways, accomplishing this with no additional burden of tax ation save the interest on the bonds. Or shall we continue as at pres ent expending annually for the next twenty-five years un our roads the same sum as would be required to carry and pay off the entire bond issue but wait a large part of this twenty-five years be fore realizing any material ac complishment in our road program? This measure proposes to givo the present generation for its use and en joyment an adequate highway system throughout Oregon at approximately the same expenditure as will be main tained without this special bond issue. These Laws Have Passed. We arc not called upon to give our approval to the one-fourth mill road levy, on the doubled ve hicle tax, or to approve the or ganization of the State Highway Commission. These matters Ivavo nlrcady been settled by the legis lature. No Increase in Taxes. Tho commission will havo annually to expend on our roads tho revenuo from these two levies. In addition they will have in their hands the funds appropriated to meet the Shack leford Act of the Federal government. In the approval or rejection of tho $6,000,000 bond issue wo nre nsked to decide whether to develop our system of highways now with money at four ner cent paying off these bonds within the next twenty-five eyars, with the same amount of taxes ns we would be -paying without such issue, and without the present use of the propos ed highways. Your committee has to report that it finds such essentially to be tho is sue presented to the voter under the proposed bonding measure at the snecinl election to bo held on June fourth next, and on such issue recom mends this measure as, in their opin ion, worthy the support of the City Club of Portland. Respectfully submitted by your committee, GEO. E. MURPHY, BERT W. HENRY, DR. J. G. SWENSON. Report npproved by Board of Gov crnors of City Club, and adopted by the Club in regular meeting. 'CCOEND. 'HOADi DtSIONATM V TWt COWMlMtOH SCCwrf i n mmii mmztvw- lllLyiHWM in.wnwnui OMUitUli 1 T VSZ"H I inZxili mm ftoADS DCSIGNATCO br THC COMMISSION IN ADOCTtON - J-.---VJ -rr-r - . ) """FVCLATS OP V " to thosc disignatco t txc LCQisummt 8Q.iiJWl " nu 1 uT JACtlaoN kamaith V . IV vOBiritJNK fJ Sc Coo"" r2$ y r I-m bm 1 --1 1 ni i-ri -r - 1 - i m nil nnwmmi uw v.rr$d- -tea sJ A. L 1 i STATE ROAD SYSTEM ROUTES DESIGNATED BY THE OREGON STATE HIGHWAY COMMISSION TO CONFORM WITH REQUIREMENTS OF THE U. S. GOVERNMENT NOT AN omCtAt MA' MAP PHtPAHCD BTC.C CHAPMAN rrvif-rv nr TUf ' wnrw OT.iTm, ft t. wmnwtiMI. MM mi "tv i T Ihe United Mates National Bank o The time has come for Oregon to make a very small start in the direc tion of permanent state highway con struction. Washington north of us will spend $6,500,000 in the next two years, and Oregon proposed to expend $6,000,000 in five years. California in the second biennial period is spending fifteen million in two years by the stato and the coun ties as much more. Indications are that conservative counties are awakening to the need of getting out of the mud and dust by the state aS a whole. Master Spence of the State Grange claims that he is instructed by that organization to oppose the state high way bonding plan. The State Grange in Washington and Caifomia and other states favors the plan of building highways inlhese states. Douglas and Hood River county granges have gone on record in favor of the bonding plan for permanent highways, and other arrange organiza tions arc falling in line. The general taxpayer pays nothing on the proposed bond issue, it being taken care of by motor vehicle and gasoline license tax. It is high time the state of Oregon shook off the reputation of ultra mossbackism and ditched non-constructive statesmanship. Register for Election. Reports from the different counties indicate that few voters who have moved into different precincts have taken the trouble to register for the June election. Experience shows that over 10 per cent of voters change residence every six months. Every voter interested in the Road Bonding Act or any other of the many measures to be voted upon at the special election June 4 should reg ister at once if he has moved since his registration for the presidential election. Newspapers are Boosters. Of 209 weekly newspapers in Ore gon outside of Portland, 191 are pub lishing columns of information on the road bonding issue. No pamphlets on this momentous question have been issued except those printed by newspapers entirely at their own expense. If it wasn't for the newspapers of Oregon, what chance would a public issue have before the people? It is the newspapers which are the real boosters for state development. Not only does it cost them money to print these columns and columns of infor mation, but it costs considerable to get the Jive, up-to-date and accurate information to publish. It is the newspapers which have defrayed the wholu cost of compiling and dissem inating all the information which to date has appeared before the public on the road bonding net. C, C. CHAPMAN, . . Editor Oregon Voter. Total Resources Over $600,000 UNITED STATES NATIONAL BANK VALE, OREGON ge Brothers MOTOR CAR Sou An Expert's Opinion ON DODGE BROTHERS CAR Dodge Brothers Motor Car is well built be cause the two owners of this business are its ac tual active superintendents. Every manufacturing detail is scrutinized and supervised in person and not by proxy, and a most unusual experience is brought to bear upon every single element that enters into the construction of Dodge Brothers Motor Car. The gasoline consumption is unusually low, the tire mileage is unusually high. For Sale by H. E. YOUNG, Prop. Agent for Malheur County Eastern Oregon Auto Company Phone 76 Vale, Ore. IT PAYS TO ADVERTISE Postoffice Cigar Store GencraTagents for the SATURDAY EVENING POST, COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, LADIES HOME JOURNAL. Subscriptions taken for all magazines. -H"M"l"li I 1 -H-l l 1 1 1 1 1 1 U1IH SOCIETY PRINTING The Enterprise is fully equipped to furnish you with the best WEDDING ANNOUNCEMENTS PROGRAMS t VISITING CARDS INVITATIONS PERSONAL STATIONERY If we haven't what you want we will get it for you. Don't send away before you find out what we can do. H-H-f-f I -W-B-H-frf -H-f -H-f-H-H-f-H-f tf -H-f-f '-H-H-M "t"H-H I l ll-H