The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-11-04
FOR GOOD ROADS.
The People Urged TO Vote for the
Bond Issue.

Bond Issue.
To tho Voters of Harris County: Next
Tuesday you will be called upon to decide
whether or not the commissioners court
shall issue bonds to the amount Of $500, =
600 for the purpose of building good roads
in Harris county.
Unfortunately this bond issue has re-
celved very little attention. and dare.
say there are many voters In Harris
county who do not know that such a
proposition Is to be voted upon. or, il
they do know it, have not Investigated
the subject. aud have not considered the
manifold benefits to be derived by this
county as the result Of good roads Many
taxpayers only look on the issue OF bonds
as another debt to pay.
| have given the subject Of good roads
considerable study. l have investigated
the beneficial results accruing from good
roads in communities where they have
been constructed, Ny conclusions are
therefore drawn from the experience OF
counties in other States. and not from
hypothesis. conjecture or theory. rc
those who read this, but have not given
any attention to the subject, | would state
that where go roads have been built In
other States the results have been bene-
fetal enough to Justify the expense fol-
/ the following reasons:
The farmer is often prevented from
bringing his products into the market.
when the prices are highest, because OF
/ the impassibillty of the roads. WIFE
maeadamized roads. no matter how much
rain falls, the farmer can come into mar
ket with less effort and in half the time
than he could before these roads were
built. II you will figure the value OF the
time saved; the fact that yea can TAX,
your products TO market at the time wher
the highest prices are paid for them, yoy
Will see that you make far more thar
what you pay in taxes towards redeem
ing the bonds. The farmer not only bene
tlts in this way. but the value OF his lane
is increased from % to 100 per cent
When new conner visits Harris county
when the farmer from the North decide
TO seek more congenial climate. an,
comes to the coast country. do not yol
know that he Will locate in a county whlcl
has macadamized roads in preference t,
going to county with mud roads; an
don't you know that this will create al
increased demand for lands2 As a resul
the price OF lands Will advance, and thos
who own lands In Harris county and cal
not now get bidder will then be able Il
sell. and in many cases at an advance Il
price So much for the farmer and tn
owner OF lands.
Now we will consider what effect gop
roads will have upon the people of Hous
ton. The farmer being enabled to brlu
his products in at the proper time. there
by getting a better price for them, vii
have more money with which to buy hl
dry goods groceries, shoes and Household
goods Who will be benefited by that bu
the citizens OF Houston be they dealer
in these commodities or simply employe
OF some one else? A merchant or manu-
facturer who is prosperous can pay hi
employees better salaries. All wealt
comes from the soil originally. 4 pros
porous county means prosperous cit,
The building OF good roads will giveenl
, ployment to the teams OF farmers ana t
large number OF people who otherwls
i, would be idle.
The spending OF this large amount {
money Will stimulate business In OF
midst and make most men prosperou
Good roads Will draw strangers an
wealth Good roads will necessarily carr
with them drainage. and certainly on
county stands greatly in need OF drainag
Have you stopped to consider why III
farmer boy is anxious to leave the farm
1t Is because he is deprived OF the ben,
hts which one usually gets In the cit
Build good roads make Il easier for ii
farmer boy to occasionally reach the ell
, and he VIII not be so anxious to desc
the calling Of his father
The only possible objection which ca
I be urged against the issuing OF the
= bonds Is one which can be made again
all present methods OF taxation. viz: Tn
0 all property owners are taxed irrespecti,
. Of benefits received by the expenditure
Inasmuch as the building Of good roa,
r increases land values more than any 9TH
SPECIES of property, | would like to s,
} the constitution OF Texas so changed TIL
) taxes for good roads be levied exclusive
, upon land values, Irrespective OF improv
, ments BY doing this no hardship won
. be worked upon those who did not oN
land Surely the owner OF land won
not object to this tax. because It wou
not amount to ms much as the benen
which he received by virtue OF good road
Unfortunately the constitution OF o
: state es not permit this system OF tax
ton. neither does 1t permit the people.
vote, to decide az to how they sha
raise money for the purpose OF buildii
good roads. Such a scheme is known
"home rule I'm taxation" watch idea W
originally advanced by the Houston Ma
ufacturers' association at the time wit
the governor and his taxation committ
proposed new tax bill which WIS turn'
down at the special session Of the legl
lature II the Houston Manufacture
sssociati never accomplishes nnythil
else. the people q Texas owe II a de
r CT gratitude for creating a sentiment a
tsgonistic to the proposed tax bill, Will
finally defeated II.
Notwiihstanc'ng that believe the pro
er way to raise mopey with which 10 co
: struct good roads is hY taxing the groul
values only. still as that can not be n