The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1909-09-12
THE BUILDING
Of GOOD ROADS
r. 0. MILLER GIVES OUT HIS I'M
PRESTON WELL KNOWN
JACKSONVILLE CITIZEN BE-
LIEVES THAT A GREAT GOOD
COULD BE ACCOMPLISHED BY
USING THE coNVIcTs ON THE
COUNTY ROADS,

De onnSIoO IN the SOOG road cause.
1t is true that for many years al
most every legislative body has had
its workers on this line, and unfor-
tunately in Florida no bill has yet
met the approval of a sufficient num-
Der of our lawmakers to give US re-
lief. But all the work of past years
| is not lost, and from the many at
tempts to pass a good road bill in
this state some measure will spring
forth at the proper time upon which
a sufficient number can agree.
The question arises If an appropria-
ton is made for the building of roads.
in what parts of the state will the
money be spent?
II is safe to count on history re-
peating itself, and the experience Of
some states, that are advanced IN
road building, is that the state money
was spent in the counties where the
most and best road building has been
| done, by the various county boards,
from the county funds.
! 1t is truly and justly said that the
Lord helps those who help them
| selves" and somewhere in the Holy
Book We are told that ito Him that
/ hath shall be given" Every COM
munity should look out for its own
best interests, and as the beneficial
! effect Of good roads is no longer in
doubt, it seems to me that here is the
point to begin at.
I doubt If there is a real estate
man in Florida who does not know Of
! hundreds of cases where land has in
| creased in value 100 per cent after
| thu building of a good road through
| it, and this increase in valuation is
the thing needful for our schools and
all other public improvements as
well as roads
1t puts money in the county treas
ury, and at the same time enrIches the
taxpayer. It makes business better
by attracting new settlers, who begin
new operations.
1t runs up the price of land and
makes it salable. Is it not strange
that the higher the value Of land the
faster 1t sells?
Cheap farming lands, where there
are no improvements can hardly be
sold at any price, while farms that
have the advantage of a good hard
road leading to market are always IN
demand, even at high price.
There is so much to be gained by
the building of good roads and nearly
all agree as to their benefit, It Is use
less to repeat. The claim that make
is that good roads in any county are
II
the building Of them money will flow
into the county treasury for the bet
ter equipment Of schools, for drain
age, etc.
II we all agree as to the benefit,
the only question that remains is, How
TO get them?
If each county will awake to its own
interest and begin the work at home
Their will be no question about state
and national aid. Every great COM
mon work must start first among the
people at home, and It is unreasonable
TO suppose that lawmakers will ap
propriate money for a work Of this
kind unless there is a strong demand
for it from their constituency.
The building of good roads is the
most natural, as we'll as the most
beneficial, public work in the world
at this time, and the various boards
who have the power to do this work
would fall in line as naturally as
ducks take to water If a few OF the
obstructions were removed.
Leasing of convicts.
Space forbids the enumerating OF
these distinctions, but as there is one
obstruction to public good that over
shadows all others in its damage to
the state, morally, as well as fnan-
ciaIIy, it may not be amiss to mention
it. although the whole space of The
Metropolis for many days would not
be sufficient to tell of its evils. I re-
fer to the laws of Florida that per
mits it's counties to lease their con-
vfcts. Laying aside for the time the
moral side of this great question, and
looking at it from monetary stand
point only, as regards the cause OF
road building, can there be more
ridiculous waste? Duvai county is
now struggling hard to build roads
from the scant funds left from it's
general revenue assessment, and the
proceeds of it's convict lease contract.
The county is paying $1.25 per day for
such labor as 1t can get for that mon
ev. in most instances unreliable negro
help that Is here today and some
where else tomorrow.
AT the same time her convicts are
now leased out at SIS per month per
head.
Can you see any economy in this
kind Of management The contract
now in force is one that was made
about four years ago, and l under
stand that its term will soon be ended.
! Shall we again make the great mis-
take of leasing them when We need
the convict labor so much on our
county roads2 When a convict is put
to work on the public roads, the fore
man of the job knows Just how long
| he can keep that man He knows that
his man will show UP for work every
morning. and he loses no time in look
ing for new men, and If we can Judge
| by the profits made by lessees and
| sub-Iessees on these convicts, their
labor must be indeed valuable. If
this is so, why should any county
lease them out and then pay double
the amount of the proceeds latter
making all allowance for guards and
rations) for other unreliable labor?
Why do we continue this wasteful pol
] icy year after year?
| Solve this problem and road build
| ing in Florida is an assured thing
But. more than this, the moral side