Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1911-03-31
THE DAILY GRAPHIC, P


 progress and development of a com
 munity or commonwealth. Be :io
 eral. Build up Pine Bluff as wei
 as Arkansas. Be a builder, not {
 knocker. If Little Rock would enjo, increased facilities for trade by h.
 establishment os modern highway
 between the two cities, why then
 is it that Pine Bluff shall not enjoy
 the same increased facilities and the
 merchants enjoy the same increase f.
 trade?
 Our down-the-street neighbor goes so far as to oppose an interurban street railway line between this city and the capital. What kind of irt- provement does our afternoon coIi- temporary want? It has been shown in recent years that interLrban rail- roads have resulted in the growth and progress of many of the now 'a'- ger cities in Indiana and Ohio. It. creased railroad facilities between these cities have had tendency to increase their population rather than decrease them, as some would believe, because of the desire of many 10 leave the city for country homes. The uneasy opponent takes a shot at automobil:sts, who, he says, could go to Little Rock in an hour or an ho"r and a half, and purchase goods anl return home the same day. Why $ he not liberal enough to say that the many farmers, who live ill the hill country between this city and the capital. could come to Pine Bluff i'll their wagons, make their purchases and return home the same day? Why does he take it for granted that Little Rock will get all the trade? Is not Pine Bluff naturally popular trade center with farmers? Has not Pine Bluff proved to be one of the mjst liberal as well as popular cotton ma kets in the South? Who, other th,.n some selfish spirit, would make a pre- diction that everybody favored Little Rock? Why should Little Rock ne the most desired market when Pine Bluff merchants offer everything in every line and in many instances at less cost than our Little Rock neigh bors?
 We will grant that Little Rock W.ll get some of the trade from this road Little Rock would welcome it and the would be glad to see Little Rock prosper as we'll as Pine Blutf. It believes that good roads are as valuable to a growing city as rail roads and in many instances, where railroad schedules are not as conven- tent as they might be, they have prov ed more valuable from a commercial standpoint.
 The Commercial pleads ignorance O. the manner of taxation to be levied III the new district, through which the state highway is to be built. If tte Commercial editor had read the Gra- phic or the Little Rock Gazette Of last Sunday morning he might not he 90 completely uninformed in the mat
 ter. Senator Tonay's bill was ex- nlained in detail in the two leading newspapers of the state on that oc-
 
 casiOn.
 The people of this locality nave waited long enough for railroads They want good roads, too. They haVe
 an opportunity to get one at httie cost to the property owners ana Wi.n the free state convict labor to palia it. The representatives from thls county in the legislature ought to support it to man and we peieVe they will. It would be lasting monnment to their services in the in terests of the people of the whole state. including hteir home cities