The log cabin Democrat., 1911-04-26
JUDGE PRINCE
 ANSWERS BACON PIKE ROAD BILL UNJUST
AND IS OPPOSED BY MAJORITY OF PEOPLE, SAYS JUDGE
 PRINCE.
Editor Log Cabin Democrat:

Editor Log Cabin Democrat:
 l see an article in your paper sign ed Francis Bacon," and he is asham- ed of his right name. 1 am sure after this, he will have to be guarded to keep him from hurting himself.
 Yes, I love the railroads, whenever. When l get a judgment against the railroad l always make it pay, which gives me great satisfaction.
 Yes, 1 got hurt with cinder, weighing seven pounds and quarter, and the company was forced to pay me we'll for the injury. I would liked to have gotten more.
 Said "Francis Bacon" says it will only cost about 83 cents on the $100 to build the proposed Little Rock and Fort Smith pike. How does he reach this estimate? He also says it will only take 30 years to pay for building this pike road. He does not get these statements from anything set forth in the bill
 Yes, I got up the bill and had it passed in the legislature of 1897, un- der which the roads have been inn proved. When did said Francis" get up anything that was worth having?
 He says he believes majority of the people of Faulkner county is in favor of the proposed law Another guess; and if he believes what he says, it shows what little information is in him.
 Yes, I have good business in Perry county, and am kept very busy, and am surprised that said Francis has | found it out.
 He says, i've have cards up our sleeves" Not so, for I know he does not play cards, but shoots craps.
 The proposed law, if understood and the people had read the bill, not one in ten would be in favor of it. If the bill becomes a law it will De a great deal more unpopular than the | four-wire fence law. In fact, you know such law has never been talk ed of to and with the people. A few who want to get their noses in the pot have gotten up and said pike bill; and are trying to railroad it through, so as to be get to be commissioners themselves and their pets supplied with rich and lucrative jobs for at least six years.
 This road bill has not one redeem ing thing in it. Not that we do not need good roads, for We do need the pike from Little Rock to Fort Smith, as we'll as other bikes or good roads through the state of Arkansas.
 The proposed law appoints three commissioners and gives them abso- lute power over the district to do as they please They are under no bond or obligation of any kind. They can fix the rate of taxes to be levied on each and every ones land in the dis trict. They employ contractors and other employees and the pay they get. They issue six percent interest-bear- ing bonds, making them prior liens on the property in the district, and sell these bonds at such price as they may see fit, and on such terms as may please them; and they can issue as much in said bonds as they wish and account to no one, except to them selves.
 If the proposed bill should become law and place the three commis- sioners in charge there will be thous- ands of dollars in six percent bonds issued-more than can be paid in 100 years.
 In such improvement districts the bonds become an absolute lien on the lands therein, which will perpetuate the life of the district to the end of time with the yearly levy of taxes. Now, 1 know such will be the conse- quences, for the reason all those spe- cial districts are gotten up for the purpose of making and putting money in the pockets of the few and to do the damage of the masses. What is to keep those commissioners from pocketing at least one-half of all the leave the said pike not half made? The law provides that the commis- sioners can't be sued, unless you can prove they have acted corruptly, and that they were at the same time an- gry at the district. 1 should think it would be hard to prove that the thief was angry at the district, because he had been stealing from it.
 Why not pass law making a num- Der of road districts in the state, and put one-third of the convicts on these roads, worked by the state, and levy one mill of state taxes to pay expens- es, etc, making frst-class roads, and when road is completed require the counties through which the road pass es to keep it up? By this we would get the convicts on the roads, where they ought to be, and the one mill tax would not hurt anyone. Of course, the other two-thirds of the convicts would be worked on the state farm to help support all the convicts.
 Another very important reason that this special road district should not be law: it only levies taxes on the