Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1911-04-14
CASE LEFT TO
TAzEWELL PEOPLE
Merits of Question Now Be-
fore the People. Vote
for Your County.

Payer, l Will endeaVor to state the
case fairly, and leave it to the people
of Tazewell county, to decide who is
trying to deceive them. He charges
that we are acting in bad faith, and
that we were trying to mislead the
voters, in regard to the number of
miles of road which we have mapped
out. The Good Roads Club in starting
out on the campaign for improving
the roads; first, called the people to-
gether to decide on what plan we
should adopt. After much discussion,
it was decided that there was no way
to bind the county officials to build a
certain amount of road, except by
bond issue. Later, at their district
meetings, (Which evrey one was in
vited to attend), they decided on the
amount of money, which they thought
would build the macadam roads, and
permanently improve the main roads
leading into same in their respective
districts, and where they should be To-
Gated.
The cost of these roads was gone
over by some of the best posted men
in the county, and it was plainly
shown that the roads, seat out in the
petition, could be built for the
$625, 900 bond issue. Now it is clear
ly shown that the people have had the
privilege of deciding on every point
in the bond issue movement, and | be-
lieve they will prefer to trust them
selves, rather than listen to the
Common Sense Tax Payer" who l
will venture to say, knows more
about law than he does about the
building of roads.
He also scates that the people
want facts, and asks the question,
care you willing to give facts" |
assure him we are willing to give
facts, and here they are: in 1909
when it was understood that our
county was on the verge of bond is
sue, few men ct the court house de-
cded to amend our old county road
law, so as to do away with the clause
which provided for bond issue. No
meeting of the tax payers was called
to give them the privilege of stating
how they would like to have their
road money expended, but the gen.
tlemen proceeded to write up the
special bill, according to- their own
ideas. The suryisors also state that
they knew nothing about what the
bill contained, until after it was
passed. Now if this bill was gotten
up for the benefit of the people, l
woudld like to ask our Representa-
tives," who presided at Tazewell why
they kept it such a secret? These
gentlemen were not elected by the
people to make our laws, and had no
more right to dictate same than they
would have to come around and as
sess our lands.
Now, the same gentlemen, who are
leaders of the Promise to Pay plan"
come out in their pamphlet and state
that the special law which they had
written was the only law to build
roads under, and that it was the
first step in the right direction. +"
They are so eager to defeat the
bond issue, that they even offer to
amend their bill, and put it in n form
so it will really build roads. Now,
Mr.. Tax Payer, they didn't let you
see the bill when it was first written,
SO what assurance have you that they
Will let you have anything to say in
how it is 90 be amended? One of the
many bad features of the special law
is, that where supplement of one
third is gotten up-which could be by
private individual or neighborhood,
it will be the duty of the road
committee to eXpend this supplement,
together with all the road funds of
the district in front of his door, or
wherever he may suggest. This plan
of building roads under the special
law, as you see, will, of course, tax
everyone. but under the clause Just
explained, will give the roads to the
man, or neighborhood, who is rich
enough to supplement the funds of
his district, one third. appeal to
any fair citizen, no matter which side
he may be on, and want him to ask
himself the question on the day of
election, if he can afford to vote for
roads to be built under law like
this, which gives the rich people
power to. control the location of all
macadam road? They of course will
have them located to suit their own
private convenience, no matter how
badly the money may be needed in a
more unfortunate neighborhood. Don t
you also think that bill of this kind
would more likely be repealed than
amended, if put before the legisla-
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