The Cairo bulletin., 1909-01-25
!C0UNTRY CLUB TALK
(For The Bulletin by X Ray Faber)

IN TINS country, ana are DeiuhS 81
radical, | begin 10 mink II is abou
time to turn conservative, So man,
with new schemes which they pres,
upon the public attention, and III,
people have become so in the habit OF
accepting everything presented II
the name of progress, | am getting
alarmed Some of this schemes take
such wide range, too being limitless
in the probable cost and without de-
fined bounds as 10 the time which will
10 required to work them out in
There is a vast deal Of regard shown
for the comfort Of future generations,
and to promote this the people seem
TO vote bonds rs long as these can be
discounted If this spirit is maintain
ed, one thing is certain. future gen.
leratons will have an interest bearing
| Indebtedness to carry that will break
/ backs when useless unfinished public
works. planned on a gigantic scale
viii be wasting away by action of the
elements,
Col Banks | always was a con,
ryatiye. although not radically so.
Inot what you would term a kicker or
Ikrccker. The way things have be n
going for some years reminds me OF
| the farmer who was anxious to leave
| his only son a fine place that he woui |
| be proud Of He mortgaged his farm
lfor all he could get on it and with the
money proceeded to build splendid
house. great barns and other build.
Iines, also modern fences, etc. Whom
| the young man came into possession
Of the place he surely was proud Of
lit. but when he examined the finag-
cia situation Of his estate he began
TO scratch his head His calculations
discovered that he could not make
enough from the farm to pay the in
terost on the mortgage and provide
for the latter at maturity. Then he
wished his kind and thoughtful father
had left it to the heir to make the i'm
provement he desired The young
man abandoned the farm and Went
west to grow up with the country.
When future generations find them
selves loaded with local. state and
Federal bonds, issued for grand I'M
proyements. finished and unfinished,
Ithey will wish as the farmers son did,
that their ancestors had left il to
them to say what improvements they
desired
Judge Conner; or course the mas
SEES of the people who accept readily
the progressive Improvement schemes
are honest: they accept anything la
beled progress as alright, dreadin5
to be cassed as old fogies. as behind
the times. or as knockers and kick
ers The progressive leaders have
lashes to apply to opponents OF their
schemes in the newspapers, which al
most invariably are found to be ac-
tive servants of the Schemers: they,
also. are afraid of being classed with
the knockers. From some impulse
they fall down and worship the label
Progress, no matter what the char
acter of the package is it is plastered
upon But have noticed that gener-
ally the schemers calling for large
cutlays Of money are promoted by
men or communities having an inter-
est ia the expenditure of money COM
ing from the public than in com.
pIeting the public projects they are
backing
Capt Drury; / presume gentlemen,
that I'm your illusions to improve
ment work you have not intended to'
embrace that in Cairo now progress
inl While this will benefit future
generations 10 IS needed for the pres
eut and is being prosecuted 10 meet
immediate wants IN is peculiar how
fate has iufeffpred 10 retard public
works in Cairo during the last fe ~
years Under Hon. CIarde Winters
mayCralfy strenuous and persistent
effort was made 10 get the street,
above Twentieth fllsd' and grayUled.
This was the work most needed. as
thar part OF the city had become
deusely settled and the streets were
impossible for teams iu rainy sea.
SONS. The long. tofuous course toI
have the work done Boy special ass SIS
men twas pursued 90 The end con.
umiug months. aud at Dee last stem.
when levy of the TAX necessary was
asked OF 'he county court lawyer
Eof the assessments set aside on D..
gal tcchuicalltios. Then the work
Uas started over again and perfected
to the same stage az before. when tha
legislature Repealed the law under
which the msvrr and council were
proceeding iu 'he matter This .top.
ped the proposed Improvement When
Naycr Parsons administration came
On, system OF general improvements
covering 'he entire city. was started
under "a new Jaw. providing Tor such
improvements hy special taxation
The new project embraced sewers
street filling brick paving concrete