The record-union., 1894-01-08
THE GOOD ROADS AGITATION.
Supervisors Refuse to Call the Bond
Election Now,
Despite the Earnest Request of the
People, Made Through Their
Convention.

The permanent road bond question
came up in the Board of Supervisors Sat
urday. The Executive Committee of the
County Road Convention presented the
resolutions of petition asking that the
proposition to issue bonds for permanent
trunk road line construction be submit
ted this winter to the vote of the people.
The committee guaranteed to the Su-
pervisors election officers and probably
polling places free of cost, leaving the
cost to the county the advertising and the
ballots and their distribution, which cost
would be the same no matter when the
election was held.
District Attorney Ryan was called in
and gave an opinion that bonds could be
issued for only twenty years instead OF
forty. When Mr.. Ryan's attention was
called to the fact that the law he had ex-
amined related to refunding, he mOdi-
fied his opinion and said he had only
been given an hour or two to examine the
question.
He was then asked to examine the con-
stitutional amendment substituting forty
for twenty wears, and that this amend
ment post dated the legislative Act. Mr..
Ryan then said that II the constitutional
provision is self-executing, the position
of the convention is right, and he con-
fessed that it looked as If 1t were self-eXe-
cutting. He wished further time to eX-
anime the matter and again said he had
not given the subject the thought it
needed. He was asked if the Legislature
can limit a constitutional period to half
the time given; could it not limit 1t to
one-fourth or tenth just as well and
thus defeat or nullify the Constitution
Mr.. Ryan conceded that such would be
the logic of the argument.
II. Weinstock, Chairman OF the COM
mittee, X. G. Irvine. member, and ). A.
Woodson, Acting Chairman of the Ex-
ecutive Committee, then addressed the
board, claiming that sufficient repre-
sentation OF the people had petitioned to
justify the grant OF submission asked 1or.
That the District Attorney OF the county
had informed the board that such ques-
ton if submitted went to all the people
irrespective Of city or town Governments,
and all property is bound by debt created
by the Supervisors, as asked tor.
Jacob Broder spoke at length as citi-
zen of the east end Of the county against
the petition, claiming that his end OF the
county was not represented nit; that the
committee representative from that end IS
not true representative, and does not
reflect the sentiment of the people there.
IUIlD6T
wholly to the impolicy OF issuing bonds,
and favored building permanent roads
year by year during period OF fifteen or
twenty years to come.
The committee replied to Mr.. BrOder
that the question was not bonds, but sub
mission of the debt question to the people
for decision, and if two-thirds vote aye,
then the people will have settled the
question as TO what they want.
Chairman Morrison than said that he
had striven to bring his mind into accord
with the petition. He believed the petit
TONERS to be right as to their theory OF
good roads, but he believed the need did
not demand a special election; that the
county funds are not in condition to
warrant that expense. He favored the
submission of the matter, but not until
the fall election, when it would entail no
extra expense.
He therefore moved that the matter be
Indefinitely postponed with the inten-
ton to renew it in time to submit the
matter at the general election in Novem-
Der. If held prior to that he thought the
proposition would be defeated.
Supervisor Todd moved to amend that
it is the sense of the board that the propo-
sition be submitted at the next general
election.
Chairman Morrison accepted the
amendment.
Supervisor Jenkins said he would vote
aye because of the expense of a special
election and because the further time
would give the people full opportunity to
examine the question. In his district he
believed the people did not wish 1t sub
mitted now and were opposed to the
proposition.
Supervisor Todd said he would vote
aye tor reasons such as advanced by the
Chairman of the board. He believed
time taken would not prove loss.
Supervisor Curtis said be should vote
no. There is not, he said, a mile of gravel
road in the county that is equal to stand
ing the travel it invites. The roads are
in deplorable condition. All that could
be done on them with the money an
nually available is done, and yet no per-
manent roads are or can be constructed
with such funds. Really, taking out
bridges and culvert work. but about S11 ,00O
a year is available, and yet we have 40O
miles of roads to take care Of
He had lived in Sacramento forty
two years, he had paid large sums
in taxes, he was willing to pay still
more to secure permanent good roads,
and the sooner the better. To put
Oft this matter meant to defeat it for
two years, practically. He believed the
people wanted the matter submitted;
more than that, he believed two thirds
of the people would vote for the PROPOSE
ton, which he considered a wise aud an
economic one, better than waiting to
build these roads out Of the hope of di-
rect taxes.
Supervisor Miller said he would vote
aye because of the cost of special cleo
ton. The county is still in debt and il
had not provided in its tax levy for this
new expense.
The roll was called after some sharp
exchanges between Supervisors Curtis
and Jenkins, the latter claiming that his
district pays more taxes than any other
and gets less for road work. while the
former claimed that Mr.. Jenkins district
got more than his (Curtis0.
The vote stood: Aye-Morrison, Todd,
Jenkins, Miller. No-Curtis.
The convention committee then gave
the board notice that it would file petit
ton proving that majority of the people
do favor submission of the question now,
and not at a general election, when il
would be entangled with political matters