Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1911-04-13
BOND ISSUE
ADVOCATE REPLIES.
Answers Argument Of Common Sense Tax
Payer" and Tells How and Why Our
Special Road Law Was Enacted.

PAYER and Tells How and Why Our
Special Road Law Was Enacted.
In reply to the gentleman who is op-
posing the bond issue under the name
of Common Sense Tax Payer" l will
eDdeavor to state the case fairly, and
leave it to the people of Tazewell coun-
ty to decide who is trying to deceive
them. He charges that we are acting
ID bad faith and that we are trying to
mlsiead the voters in regard TO the num-
Der of miles of road which we have
mapped out. The Good Roads Club in
starting out on the campaign for i'm
proving the roads, first called the peo-
pie together to decide on what plan we
should adopt. After much discussion,
1t was decided that there was no way
to bind the county officials to build q
certain amount of road, except by a
bond issue. Later, at their district
meetings (Which everyone was invited
to attend), they decided on the amount
of money which they thought would
build the macadam roads and perma-
nently improve the main roads leading
into same In their respective districts,
and where they should be located.
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, set out in the petition, could
be built for the s625, 900 bond issue.
Now, it is clearly shown that the people
have had the privilege of deciding on
every point in the bond issue movement,
and we believe they will prefer to trust
| themselves rather than listen to the
Common Sense Tax Payer" who, we
will venture to say, knows more about
law than he does about the building of
roads.
He also states that the people want
facts, and asks the question: care
] you willing to give facts" We answer
him we are willing to give facts, and
I here they are: In the fall of 1909 when
! it was understood that our county was
on the verge of a bond issue, a few men
at the courthouse decided to amend our
old county road law, so as to do away
with the clause which provided for a
bond issue. No meeting of the tax
payers was called to give them the priv
, llege of stating how they would like to
have their money expended, but the
gentlemen proceeded to write up the
special bill according to their own ideas.
The supervisors also state that they
knew nothing about what the bill con-
tanned until after it was passed. Now.
If this bill was gotten up for the benefit
representatives. who presided at
Tazewell, why they kept it such a Sc
cretf These gentlemen were not elect
ed by our people to make our laws, and
had no more right to dictate same than
| they would have to come around and
assess our lands. Now the same gen
tlemen, who are leaders of the Promise
to Pay Plan, come out in their pamph-
let 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 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 any,
thing to say in how it is to 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 nei0hbor-
hood 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 every one, 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. We appeal to
any fair citizen, no matter which side
he may be on, and want him to ask him
self 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 10
cation of all macadam roads. They, of
course, will have them located to suit
their own private convenience, no mat
ter how bad the money may be needed
in more unfortunate neighborhood.
Don't you also think that bill of this
kind would more likely be repealed than
amended if put before the legislature?
Now, my fellow citizens, will leave
the question for you to decide: Who
has played the open hand, and who has
tried to deceive the people?
In republican form of government
'the voice Of the people shall be heard"
and on the 18th day of April they will
see the voters of Tazewell county line
up like stone wall for the bond issue.
and free themselves from the oppres-
sion of the law, in which they were not
allowed to have a voice.
| The Common Sense Tax Paver"
makes several other assertions, which
we might look into. He. states that
district bonds, with the county back of
them, will not sell as high as county
bonds. This gentleman surely must
think that he is the only Common
sense tax payer" in the county, other
wise he would not put up such absurd
argument. He refers you to bond is
sue in one district in Pulaski county.
where the bonds bore one-half of one
per cent higher rate of interest than
bonds on some other counties. 1t is
nothing unusual for different bonds to
bear different rates of interest. And
this illustration will plainly show that
our opponents are so eager to find some
objection to the bond issue that thew
will even split hairs to get them.
From what we can find cut, this dis
trict bond issue was under the special
county road law of Pulaski, and was
not binding on the county, as ours would
be. We have one of the best counties
in the State, and our people have judg-
ment enough to know that our district
bonds, with the county standing back
of them as security, are gilt-edge, and
will sell lust as high as bonds on any