The Green Forest tribune., 1894-08-23
AMENDMENT NO. THREE.
ADVANTAGES or ROAD TAX FULLY ex.
Planned BY ONE WHO KNOWS,
Every Thoughtful Man will Vote for Its Ado ption
Strong Argumenet for Better Roads.
7. Bateman in Monroe County Sun.

L, L. Bateman in Monroe County Sun.
AT the next general election
there will be submitted to the vot-
ers OF Arkansas two proposed
Amendments to the State Consti-
tuition. Amendment No. 3 EN-.
powers quorum courts, when they
deem it advisable, to levy three
mill tax ''to be used for the pur-
pose OF making and repairing pub
lie roads, building court houses,
Jails. bridges and other interna.
tionaI improvements" Amend
ment No. 4 provides that "the
government shall, in case a vacan-
cy occurs in any State, district,
county or township office in the
State, either by death. resignation
or otherwis, I'LL the same by ap-
pointment, such appointment to be
in force and effect until the next
general elelection thereafter"
1t is scarcely worth while tor
me to direct attention to the ad-
vantages of Amendment No. 4:
assume that it will commend it.
self to every thoughtful voter as
an economical, safe and convenient
method of filling vacancies. |
fear, however, that the mere sug-
gestion of tax as provided for in
Amendment No. 3 will arouse dis
trust among those who do not
stop to investigate. l therefore
desire to call attention to a few
of the many benefits that will
come to US through the operation
of this amendment, and urge it's
favorable consideration by voters.
CD While | believe every per-
son ought to work five days as
nov provided by law. 1 think it
unjust that the greater portion of
the burden Of keeping up our pub
lie highways should fall upon those
who hold no real property, when
the principal benefit is derived by
owners of real estate.
(2) Five days work as it now is
will not put the roads in good con-
dition. The adoption of amend
ment No. 3 will force real estate
to pay its just proportion toward
keeping up roads and bridges.
(2) 1t would provide employ
ment for county convicts, because
the county judge could hire con-
victsto the road commissioner.
In case there were not enough
convicts to justify working them,
they might be hired to the com.
missioner of an adjoining county.
It is we'll known that county con-
victs can be worked on public
roads with greater satisfaction, less
competitor with honest labor and
more profit than at any other
work.
(4) If the counties that are in
debt, with their scrip only worth
80 cents on the dollar, do not
want to work the road with a three
mill tax, they may, under the
provisions of the amendment, levy
the tax for bridge purposes alone.
AS the tax is collected in currency
and would enable them to pay for
their work in cash, the saving
would be at least fifty per cent on
each bridge built or repaired.
(5There are number of coun-
ties in the State that have built,
and several that intend building,
new court houses and jails. In the
counties where such improvements
have been made the value of scrip
is greatly deprecated, and the
same result will follow the erec-
ton of buildings in other counties.
Such counties may levy the tax
and apply it to the payment of
improvement debt, thus saving
thousands of dollars.
(6) This tax will compel nom
residents to pay their proportion
towards maintaining public roads
and kedping up other Improvements
something they do not at pres
ent. In this county-and I pre-
sumo that the per cent is not
L 4