The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1910-09-08

The mayor gained victory In his
veto Of the Road District ordinance;
but probably even he will not eiaim
that 1t was victory for progress
for "A Greater Cairo.
In so far as he attempted to JUSTIFY
his position by statements as 10
what the effect wouldbe to permit tae
ordinance to stand, his message is
misleading. His statement that the
people OF Cairo would nave no CON
troll Of the money collected for road
purposes is met by the fact that thef
would elect the men who would spent
the money, having an overWhelmiilG
majority of the yote-just as absc-
iutely as they elect the men VINO
spend over 500 900 annually ot@khei'
money in the city government. NTheF
would have more absolute control
over the road fund than they have OF
the general fund in the city treasur5
His statement that in ten years the
people would pay toward road buitd
ing $4,000 is not true, because, I'M.
der the law, one half Of the sum col
|lected every year must remain to be
spent on the streets OF the city; an !
HI is not at all fair to assume that
1.-The maximum tax must be levied
|eyery year for an indefinite period
lany more than 1t is true that the
maximum tax must be levied for the
lefty every year, whether the none,
lis needed or not.
The statement that farmers woult
mot come to Cairo to do business
when they can find stores nearer by
|is discredited by the fact that even
with the roads as they are one of thu
big stores has regular customers whc
come all the way from Thebes an
Mcclure at regular intervals. Tht
big city always draws the trade when
lit Is possible to get there.
That the people of Cairo are bear
ing heavy burden OF taxes on &C
count of public Improvements Is ,rae
and 1t is the only argument worth
considering But this loses much OF
/ Hts force when 1t Is kept in mind thai
Iby keeping out of the road district
1.-THE people are relieved OF only $5,0ol
| a year, for the other $4,000 must b.
collected from some other source o.
| the city streets must 30 to pieces TO
want OF funds to keep them In repair
\ THE saving OF $4,000 in taxes is /
lpaltry matter considering what tn
lefty must lose in the way of CONNER
cial progress. The heavy tax argt
lment has done more to retard Cairo
progress than any other influence.
has served for quarter of centut
tpast to hinder or block every effoG
that was made to build up the city
and it could have been used wit
Igreater reason and force against til
improvements of Commercial avenu,
Eighth street and Sycamore street.
| The mayor has boosted that h
kept his ear close to the ground /
Ilearn what the people wanted" i
this instance surely he paid nttf
Iheed to the numerously signed pet
tons of citizens and to the resou
lions of the city's commercial bodies
He seems to have listened rather t
the seductive whispering of the gun
shoe" and pussy-foot fellows, In "sta
chamber conference.-the 'specid
Interests against the peop,,.
One thing is certain: If the peopl
Iof Cairo want roads built to Cair
Ithey will have to build those roa.l
Ithemselvec-and pay for them then
Iselyes. The country merchants al
not going to build any roads to Cair,
lnor permit II to be done If they CT
prevent 1t.