Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1888-03-15
THE-BONDS DEFEATED.

Again the history of Ford County {
public improvement, has been v0tet
down. and.this too by the very men who
were to be most directly benefited by it
1t is the history of many, perhaps ma
jority OF the public Improvements, whicl
depend upon the action of the farming
community, and which cannot be secured
except through their aid 1t is an illus
tration of Penny wise, pound foolisl
policy and perhaps was to be expected
The proposition to vote an almost in
significant sum in bonds on the township
of Richland in aid of an independent
line of railroad, was defeated by a ma
| jOrity of almost two to one 1t was de
feated in the face of the fact which is
not even disputed, that the road if con
tracted would pay back to the tow nshir
IN taxes before the bonds were due more
than twice the amount voted; voted
down in spite of the certainty that
would greatly enhance the price of farm
ing lands in the township; in spite of the
admitted fact tn at in reduced cost of coal
alone each taxpayer would save double
the amount of his additional tax 1t was
voted down, as near as we can see, for
two reasons, and both very poor ones.
The first reason seems to have been that
the company is in situation where It
must construct the road and the voters
were willing to allow other parties to
come into their vicinity and expend their
money for the improvement and develop
ment of the country, the voters reserving
to themselves the right to kick and to
reap the benefit In answer to this eX-
cuse Tor not voting the bonds we say,
The company most certainly is not in "a
position where it must build the road
through Richland township. and in our
judgment they will not do it; at least not
this year, and never until the bonds are
voted. So long as the taxpayers in other
routes are willing and anxious to vote
the bonds, it would be a very generous
corporation which would return good for
evil in such manner.
The second reason for not voting the
bonds seems to be simply matter of
spite-a desire to ''get even which is
entirely unjustiflable
Every farmer in Richland township
who voted against the bonds. may com
fort himself with the assurance that he
has saved himself few cents in taxes:
but he must also remember two other
things. He has not only lost an oppor-
tunity to add one thousand dollars to the
value of each quarter section in the
township; but in case the road should
not be built, or should be built over some
other line, he has actually reduced the
value of his land by at least one thou
sand dollOrs per quarter section.
Even this is not all; for such a short
sighted policy binders and delays the
development of Dodge City, and every
thing which has this effect Injuries the
farmer. The natural location of our
city, and the lines of railroad it now has.
insures the most flattering future. Other
important lines of railroad are pushing
this way, and are anxious to reach us.
If such encouragement was extended to
them, as sound business judgement
would dictate. in five years Dodge City
would be surrounded with as fine a sys-
tenn of railroads as Wichita has Bat
such discouragements as the rejection OF
the D. NJ. & T. proposition by Richland |
township delay this progress, and two |
years of waiting will not undo the dam
age to Ford county caused by Tuesdays
fOolishness. In these days it is railroads |
which make cities, and cities mean high |
priced lands and prosperous farmers.
What has made the farms within twenty /
miles of Hutchinson aud Wichita valua- |
BILE as they are to. day. The railroads |
and nothing else. and it was liberal deal |
ing which secured for these towns their
splendid railroad Facilities
1t II poor excuse for the farmer to |