Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1892-01-16
The Proposed !srnd Luw.
VOX.

Mr.. E9IT0R:-Thc plan of road
law formulated at Accomac C. H.. on
tie Sth inst, is DOW before our peo-
pie for criticism and adoption, or re-
lection. It's authors are. doubtless,
honest in their intentions, but they
are not in touch with the masses of
our people. Time will prove this as
sertion. Some perhaps care little for
public sentiment and think their
plans should be carried through-no
matter how much discomfort they
may; occasion. To such [ would COM
mend this sentence from the admir-
able speech of EXPIRE 'ident Cleveland
at the Jackson banquet in New 1Hcrt,
I've should not forget that after all
our plans, We must meet face to face
the. voters flour land, with ballots
in their hands, dcmandi5sg as ~ con-
dition OF their support, justice and
an equitable distribution of public
burdens Now 1 say euphatically
that it is not just or fair to require
labor to contribute about St5,n1O to-
wards making our public roads while
property contributes but half that
sum and receives more than three
fourth of the benefits.
The National Democratic "watch
cry" is reduce taxation''-''r relieve
the masses of part of their heavy
burdens and here in Accomac it. is
now seriously proposed to double the
poor mans capitation tax. The un-
wisdom of this course ought to be APP
parent to thinking men. Go among
the laborers, small property holders
and oystermea, and ask them how
they like this four-day-labor feature
of the new road law, and you will
find it meets with almost universal
condemnation. Indeed ] have not
found one man in my neighborhood-
poor o. rich-thaL endorses it. AT
my store Saturday night, your svnop-
sis of the bill was read aloud to forty
or more persons, and not one voice
was raised in its defense; but all
agreed that two days labor with the
privilege of committing by the pre-
payment of one dollar road tax is all
that labor should contribute towards
road-making.
This proposed law is evidently the
emasculated, disembowelled and mu-
tilated remains of Mr.. Gillet's law,
and is far inferior to its prototype.
In fact, I think.t the Gillet law by SIM
ply substituting two days for the
four days labor Tor commute at so
cents per day,) would be acceptable
to our people. But the heart was
cut out of that bill when the pro-
vision for borrowing $4,000 was
stricken out. That great bug-bear
frightened the timid Suppose other
parts of old Virginia had been as
easily frightened as some of our peo-
ple-would she to day be in the very
forefront of the great Southern Com
monwealths2
Borrowed capital has built her
wonderful system of railroads, in
augurated great mining operations
and established immense manufac-
turing plants. Towns beautiful and
prosperous now stand where
owls and foxes had their hiding places
but a few years ago. Shall old Acco-
mac with her soft and genial climate,
fertile soil, and waters on either side
Astounding in all the luxuries of the
seas, lag behind in the great race of
progress? We want live men, not
laggards to build up and develop our
resources. I want to see this PENN
sula like Long Island, (which it much
resembles teeming with wealth and
prosperity, with rich truck farms and
beautiful villas lining our highways.
And. it seems to me the first step in
the race of progress must begin with
our public roads. They should be
made good by improved road ma
chinery. But this much differed bill
of the Drummondtown Convention,
evidently proposes to do the work
with the spade, shovel and hoe; other
wise they would have no use for the
vast army of officers. hopo the
people will bury this antiquatcd and
unfair bill, and adopt in its stead