Vernonia eagle., May 07, 1926, Image 5

VERNONIA EAGLE
Largest Mill in the Weet
Uncle Sam and His Nep lews, the Slates,
Are Collecting Over a Billion Dollars in
Yearly Tolls on Motor Vehicles and Fuel
GRANGE STORY
(Continuad from Pag i 1)
opposed to the income tuc .and jn
2. Advocating the direc ejection
More Then Meet» the Nation’» Billion Dollar Highway Building
of the lieutenant governcr of the
Bill—Thoma» H. MacDonald, Chief of the U. S. Bureau
state of Oregon whose dutj it would
of Public Road», Tell» Striking Details
be to preside over the senate and
By JUDSON C. WELLIVER
America haa reverted to the ancient system of collecting
tolls wherewith to build and maintain highways.
In 1925 these tolls amounted to >1,094,000,000, collected
through motor licenses, gasoline taxes, property, corp aration,
income production and other taxes on automobiles, automobile
manufactures, the petroleum industry, etc.
In the same year $1,003,000,000 was spent on rural roads.
It took near a century to build $20,000,000,000 worth of rail­
roads. A highway system costing that much will be created in
twenty years at present rate.
These are some of the high pointe
»reseated by Thomaa H. MacDonald.
Chief of the Bureau of Public Roads,
Department of Agriculture, in an In
tarview on highway development
"The equipment of this continent
with modern roads has been the most
amaslng provision of a public utility
that any community ever accom
pllahed in a aimliar period,” said Mr
MacDonald.
"Historians say the
Roman Empire was held together by
ita highway system, radiating from
Romo to the P-ovlnces. But America
haa converted a , continent into a
neighborhood within a few years.
-This accomplishment really repre
■oats the inauguration of a new eye
tom of taxation; a system of licenses
and excises levied against particular
privileges or classes of property, the
proceeds being dedicated to highway
development
“For IMS state Uxes on gasoline
aggregated *142,000,000. Add to that
*262,500,M0 for automobile reglstra
tlon end licenses; *150,000,000 as
property taxes on the 20,000,000 auto
mobiles; *142,420,700 as the Federal
excise tax ou automobiles, parts and
accessories tor 1925; *50,000,000 to
represent wheelage taxes, special
taxes on gasoline or cars, and fines
collected from motor drivers. The
total reaches approxlmatsly *749.
*20,709
Nearly *1,100,000,000 Yearly Tolle
“But those figures do not Include
Income and corporation taxes derived
from the motor car business. Nor do
they include state, local, production,
corporation or Income taxes of the
petrolsum Industry. Yet that Indus
try has a capitalisation of about
*9,060,6M,006. A modest estimate tor
these. added to the preceding figures,
makes a total of *1,094,920,709, which
is oenaMorably more than the entire
.r..n, spent on country roads.
"You observe that 1 have not In
elndod the government’s expenditures
of nearly *100,000,000 In Federal aid
be road building. In the eight years
from 1*1* to 1925 Inclusive, the Gov
eminent has contributed *460,000,000
to help the states build roads
That
la considerably less than half of what
the country spent on roads In either
1*24 or 1125. Moreover. In the same
eight years, while the Government
was distributing that *460,000,000 to
the states, It collected *872,000,000 in
internal revenue taxes on motor cars,
parts and accessories.
Other bun
fixed» of millions were collected in in­
come and corporation taxes from mo­
tor ear manufacturers and dealers
Thus it appears that Federal con
tributton to roads as compared to the
contribution of people who make and
use the cars and the gasoline has
been decidedly modest
“But while Federal contribution Is
only about 1* per cant of highway ex­
pense. it haa accomplished results al­
together out of proportion to ita
amount First it was an incentive to
the States. The Government required
them to invest as much as it con­
tributed. Then the Government takes
■part in a general supervision of con­
struction and a share tn determining
routes. So we have built roads on
better standards, and have got them
organised into a truly national ays
tern instead of forty-eight state sys­
tems.
Unifying ths Road System
“Some day it will be realized that
thia waa the moat valuable contribu
tlon.
Driving from Boston to New
Tork. a man may pass through four
states.
Every one might have a
splendid highway system; but if those
did not articulate at the state lines
the trip would be almost impossible
Thanks to the systematization under
Federal Influence, country roads are
as superior to state boundary Ilneo as
are railroads.
“The Federal highway act of 1*21
required that a complete nation-reach-
tag system of roads be designated
within two years, as the roads to
which Uncle Sam would give assist­
ance
It was found that thsro were
2,266.661 miles of highway In the
«seuntry. Of those 7 per cent, or 266,■
Cellectlens
ita
2,144,901
2,419.996
249 !79
19.144 «U
1.964.421
1,909.2M
994.IM
7,494 90S
4,421,914
929.272
624 pillee, were to be Included In the
uatlona! system, eligible for Federal
aid. Nearly every mile of that 2.866,
061 was a candidate tor designation
as a Federal highway. But In the end
the system was laid out as a truly na
uonal one.
“When the map waa published it
showed nearly the 200,000 miles ot
designated routes. 81nce then 46,4*5
miles of these roads have been Im­
proved. nearly 12,000 more ard under
construction, and over 2,000 have been
approved for early beginning of work.
In addition to that many states have
built, without Federal aid, extensive
sections which are included within
thia national system. In tact, these
state contributions aggregate 55.000
miles, so that approxlmatsly two-
thlrds ot the 200,000 mile national
highway system has already been im­
proved.
Uncle Sam as Road Supervisor
“Along with all of thia, there 1» the
Federal supervision over construcUon
and maintenance. When Uncle Sam
helps build a road ho reserves au­
thority to require its proper main­
tenance. Then there la the business
ot uniform marking along highways,
which makes it possible for motorists
to drive thousands of miles on a des­
ignated route whose markings be­
come so familiar that after a few
miles he need not ask directions.
“Finally Federal participation has
made possible a great number ot
brldgee at strategic points. Some of
these have been needed tor years, yet
state and local authorities have been
unable te provide them, partly be­
cause ot the coat, partly because of
competition between routes. When a
stream separates two oountles, or two
states, it is often impossible to get
them to agree where to bnild or bow
to divide the cost of a br dge. In
such eases the Federal authority has
repeatedly mediated differences and
secured construction. Let me men­
tion some instances.
“Missouri has been a state for over
a century. Divided east and west by
the Missouri river, communication be­
tween the two sections haa been lim­
ited, to the state's disadvantage. Four
bridges across the river were required
In the national highway program, and
Federal co-operation with the state of
Missouri has made them possible.
Two are completed, the others are un­
der construction. The four will cost
a little more than *2.006.006. the Fed­
eral contribution bjlug nea~lv *1,000,
000
Getting Bridges Constructed
"Another bridge that has a peculiar
importunes, both locally and nation­
ally, baa been needed for generations
across Raritan bay. New Jersey. It is
one of the link» In the chain of com
municatioa between New York city
and the country at largo. In 1924
New Jersey had some *700,00) of Fed
eral aid allotted to her road« and in
1*25 over *1,600.000.
So the state
agreed that this Raritan bridge should
bo built, costing about *<.000.06*
Federal funds mads up about one-
third of the amount. The bridge, over
a mile and a half long, is now nearly
completed.
"Such Illustrations might bo multi­
plied indefinitely. National participa­
tion haa repeatedly made possible the
accomplishment of vitally I npertant
highway development.*
According to the American Fetre-
leum Institute, the gasoline tax was
Erst Imposed tn 1*19 in Or< gon. It
haa now been adopted by all the
states except New York. Illinois. New
Jersey and Maaaachusetta. The ten­
dency has been continually to in­
crease the rate ot tax per ga’lon. As
lato a» 1M1 gasoline taxes for the en­
tire country wore only aben *5,000/
*66; in 1M2. »12,000,M0; in 1922, al­
most *27,M0,000; in 1M4, *79,900,000.
and la 1(2*. *142,917,741.
With good prospects that the “gas“
tax will be adopted soon by states
which do net have It now and with
the gallonage rates being inc eased tr
other states, It is calculated bat this
tax alone will soon raise **00,000,066
a year, quite possibly during 1(26
Cotleetlens
I
P siuul
Total
«14fi.967.746
draw mileage and per dieri for ac­
tual time spent an din case of re­
moval or death of the go -ernor to
succeed to the office of governor.
3. Whereas propaganda has been
started to get the people in the
proper frpme of mind for the pass­
age at the next session of the legis-
favor of the Dennis resolution,
lature of a bill making automobile
liability insurance compulsory; and
Whereas, if the interests have
way, private liability insurance com
panies will set the rates at which all
automobile owners will be competed
to take out ¡ability insurance. There
fore
Be it resolved by Columbia county
pomona grange that We are opposed
to compulsory automobile liability
insurance that would be a part of
the license fee is offered. That a
copy of this resolution be sent to
the state grange for consideration.
4. Introduce«] by Clatskan e grange
Whereas. The present system of
automobile license is unjus. and in
adequate, in that it does not take
into consideration the relative utili­
zation of our highways by various
classes of motor transr>’"ta'ion and,
Whereas, many mote under the
present law are requir ' tc pay ex­
cessive license fees, re.,..ive to high
way usage, whiei ot
are propor­
tionally favored by , . ent uniform
class rates,
Therefore, be it resolved, that
Clatskanie grange No. 321 favors a
new system of revenue deri ed from
motor transportation to ap portioned
three dollars rate for licen. e plates
and an increase in gas rats neces­
sary to produce the require« revenue
Signed: T. I. Carter, J. T. Gra­
ham, Inda Kelty.
5. Be it resloved that we, the mem
bers of pomona grange of Columbia
county, favor the building cf the in­
terstate bridge between Longview
and Rainier.
6. We favor the retentioi of the
government of the Muscle Shoals
project. We are opposed to the sell­
ing or teasing of this grea project
which has cost the people $ 50,000,-
000 to a private corporate n which
would very likely exploit tie public
to the limit.
7. Resolutions of thanks t > Beaver
Homes for the welcome exte ,ded and
especially the beautiful arrai gements
of dogwood blossoms on t ie stage
which spelled “welcome” «nd this
welcome was emphasized by the bro­
thers and sisters of Beave Homes
grange for al! of which we, the 91st
Columbia Cou..... Pomona, express
our thanks. Signed, .resolutions Com
mittee, Fritz Anliker, Beuvet. Homes,
J. Davis, Yankton, Inda Kelly, Clats­
kanie.
The speakers on the lecturer’s pro
gram were brother C. E. Spence who
said that the Columbia coun ,y pomo­
na was among the largest he had at­
tended in the state and sh< wed the
farmers were awaking to tie neces­
sity of tending to their own business.
Brother Shumway said he hoped
the grangers were not like t ie farm­
ers of whom a candidate for office
said: Oh I don't worry ary about
the farmer vote, they do no; believe
in voting, at least they do not do
it.”
Bro. Shumway said only 40
per cent of the actual voters go to
the polls and they either want some­
thing for themselves or for their
friends. The 60 per cent who stay at
home could control legislation. Bene­
dict Arnold wanted to b tray his
country to England. The 60 per cent
are betraying it to the political
bosses and predatory intere ts. Be­
cause of this indifference tl e indus
trial interests have always teen able
to pass laws for their protection ot
by an appeal to patriotism have
made it appear necessary th. t infant
industries had to be protec ed.
Eastern Oregon is depet dent on
agricultural and two hundre I million
dollars worth of products th -re were
raised last year.
One mill; in acres
are under irrigation but the farmers
are bankrupt and cannot pa; for the
water. Six hundred thousa: d acres
that was in cultivation thr e years
ago are now sagebrush an. weeds
In Wasco county alone 36,0)0 acres
have been deserted.
An equalized taxation will help but
the real problem is to real ze more
of the telling price of his products
Today the farmer is getting 13 per
cent less than before the war, that
13 per cent means the difference
between solvency and bankr iptcy. It
would mean an average of *- 00 more
for every farm in Oregon. Ye raise
more than we can use and what is
shipped to Europe sets the price at
home. The farmer is asking only the
Dairy Center
same protection all other industry
tects labor by means of restricted ini
has.
The Federation of Labor pro­
migration. The manufacturer is pro­
tected by the tariff, the railroads
have the Esch-Cumminrf law and so
VOL 1.
FRIDAY, MAY 7, 1926
No.39
it goes.
Aside from relief for agricultural
Judson Weed, Vernonia’s only
Published Every Week By
prohibition enforcement is the burn
member of the G. A. R. visited the
Vernonia High School
ing issue of the day.
There is a
high school Wednesday afternoon.
gigantic conspiracy to break down Editor ......................... Margaret Smith
He gave us a splendid talk on
the prohibition la wand Volstead act
The posters are out for»the Senior “American Citizenship.”
In counties where the sheriff, dis­ play. It will be given in the high
trict attorney ayd judges work to­ school auditorium on Thursday and
The commencement exercises will
gether and public sentiment is be­ Friday night. It promises to be one
hind them the prohibition law is be of Vernonia high’s successful senior be held in the Evangelical church on
May 21. Dr. Edwin T. Reed of the O.
ing enforced. I do not believe that plays. Don’t miss it.
A. C. has been obtained as the speak
the dry mopority will ever give in
er.
to this lawless minority that is try­
The county track meet which was
ing to destroy the effectiveness of
Last week Mr. Wilkerson offered
the eighteenth amendment and the held at Clatskanie last Saturday wa
won with 38 points by St. Helens two prizes for the two best essays
Volstead act.
Rainier was second with 33 point
on “The greatest Thing in the World’
Brother C. T. Dickenson spoke of and Vernonia third with 30.
Ham
the advantages of grange insurance mer of Rainier was the high point Charles Hoffman was awarded the
There has only been 8 extra asess- man with 15 points. Burt of Vernon j first prize, an annual and Lawrence
ments in 40 years and the average ia followed with 13. Burt shattere Dickson with the second a ticket to
Russell Mills re­
cost per $1000 insurance has been all records in the javelin throw wit ' the senior play;
Charles
four dollars. While it is true that a mark of 152 feet. He also won fir.- ! ceived honorab^.» mention.
the Mutual companies have reduced in the broad jump with 19 feet 2 in | ami Lawrence both wrote on “Love”
the premiums to a level with gr age ches and came in second in the hal Russel writing on “Originality.”
insurnace we must remember that mile. The relay decided the meec an
The May Queen contest was won
this is primarily due to the grange had Vernonia won, it would hav
insurance which compelled them tc cinched the nwet for us, but due te | by Miss Opal Hall. The votes were:
Opal Hall, 3,588; Lena Gibson, *3,-
meet our prices.
baj luc*1 we drew an outside ten Roles, 582; Helen Ileiber, 279; Lota
Within a few months the state and finished third.
150; Dorothy Rhyne, 2,621; Eva
grange insurance wiil be placed on
Smith, 161.
The queen appointed
an equality with all other insurance
The district track meet will b ' Lena Gibson, Dorothy Rhyne, Eva
as regards loan companies.
The
Federal farm loan now accepts it. held at Seaside this year on the day I Rotes and Shelia Williams as her at­
Grangers in Oregon carry $40,000.- of the beach opening, May 8. Ou- tendants.
000 of fire insurance and far too boys would appreciate just 3uch :
Opal Hall has been very ill, but
much of this is carried by outside backing as the town gave our girl 1
is able to be back in school now.
compaies. Every subordinate should at Westport this year.
have *an agent appointed ami get IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SELL. RENT OR
their members into the grange insur­
TRADE AND WANT QUICK RESULTS, PLACE AN
ance 100 per cent.
AD IN OUR CLAS IFIED COLUMNS
County Agfcnt George A. Nelsor.
spoke briefly of county projects es­
pecially mentioning the three experi­
ment plantings that are to be car­
ried on in this county, the growing
of one acre of rutabagas, beets and
Aal71-
turnips. These experiments are to be
carried out on the high, medium and
low lands. Mr. Thomas Letts of Bea­
ver Homes section will take care of
U-OW PENCIL \\ —
-with it RED BAND V t
one acre of Imperial Green Globe
turnips. The other plots have not yet
TAGLEPENCIL CO. NEWYORK.USÁ
been assigned.
State Master George A. Parmiter
stressed the importance of masters
sending in quarterly reports.
He fa
requested that all questions be an­ I ■ 1
swered and that all require,} commit­
tees be appointed. Brother Palmiter
spoke briefly of the grange fire in­
surance and told us that the $4,000,-
000 business was carried on with
i
Opposite Majestic Theatre
only one paid official, the secretary
receiving $100 per month, the direc­
tors only expense of attending meet­
ings.
There are fifty-five thousand
Summer Pants
i Shoes for the whole
farms in Oregon and only eigM
thousand of the:« 1....... ;.rc
re­
$4.25 to $6.50
family
sented in the grange showing wo need
membership campaigns.
It took the grange thirty year-i to
A few Kahgi suits for
secure F. F. D. and now a bill has
Suits with 2 pr. Pants
been introduced that will desti y it
$7.00
if passed. Every granger should pro­
good all wool, $25.00
test to our congressmen against this
bill.
New Ties just in from
There are twelve billion dollars of
debts on the farms of America with
N. Y. 50c to $1.00
Bathing Suits all wool
a depreciation in value of seventeen
billion dollars since 1919. A larger
for Ladies and Gents
New line -of Shirts,
debt than the war debts due the U.
S. from England, France, Italy and
$5.50
Some Class
Belgium combied but no one advo­
cates any refunding of this great
burden on farms or lowering of the
interest rate.'
Oregon needs more people who
are consumers.
Sixty per cent of
the goods manufactured east of the
Mississippi are grown west of it.
The way to get manufacturing in­
terest here is cheap power. We have
the raw material and the power
Read a few of many unsolicited
Lets put over the grange Hjdro-
Electric bill and get the cheap power
press comment»—
I
THE PORTLAND DAILY NEWS I
ALFRED E. CLARK
which will mean more factories and
more people.
speaking of the Senatorial candidates
of Portland
The following numbers completed
said:
“If we were entirely businesslike
the lecturer’s program:
in the conduct of our public affairs
Chorus singing “It is Tine to be
a Granger.”
intent only upon getting the best
CANDIDATE FOR THE REPUB­
man available for the money, there
M ts . Mills announcing a Columbia
LICAN
NOMINATION
FOR
is no doubt whom we would employ.
county page of adverti/n in the
UNITED STATES SENATOR
“We would employ a man of
Oregon Grange Bulletin, and asking
proved achievement, proved honesty
that all grangers patronize the ad­
proved fearlessness and trustworthi­
vertisers and to always say “I s;.w
your ad in the Bulletin.”
ness. We would employ a big man.
“And that man is Alfred E. Clark
Piano i-lo, Iris Link; recitation
Lillian Anliker, rt uling, “domebody«
of Portland”
THE TOLEDO LEADER: "Mr.
Mother” Mis. M¡hired Saxton, War­
Clark is a man who has had a world
ren grange; reading. Mrs. I’ery Beck
of experience, has the agi the dignity
er, Arr
>: g g. ago; solo, Walter
and the ability to represent the
Daniels; recitation, Mildred Link.
people of this great state in the na­
The filth uvgne was put on for a
tional law making body as they
class of fourteen.
should be represented.”
The n- . Tomona will be held in
EASTERN CLACKAMAS NEWS:
Birkenfichl with Winema grange.
“There are few men in the state who
Maud J. Mills, secretary Columbia
are as well qualified for Senator a?
County Pomona Grange.
Mr Clark.”
--------- ♦---------
In a 50-foot gnle a six-foot man
THE CONDON TIMES: His (Mr.
has a ton of air hurled st him every
Clark’s) knowledge of public affairs
minute.
his prominence as a lawyer and his
--------- -----------
reputation as a speaker will prove
The ethrog, or Sacred Jewish Cit­
valuable assets she'Id the people de­
ron, is one of the costliest and most
interesting, yet one of the least
sire to send him to Washington.”
known fruits in the world.
It is
Paid Adv.—Alfred E Clark for United Stateq Senator Campaign
closely allied to the orange, lemon
and citron. Twenty-five dollars for a <
Commi ttee.
single fruit is not unusual.
THE VERHIAN
Working Mans Store
E. W. Holtham, Proy
I