Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1912-01-20
HIGH SCHOOL BONDS

About 400 of the legal voters of the
county recently signed petitions ask
ing the county commissioners to call
a special election for the purpose OF
issuing bonds to build and equip
county high school building These
petitions were circulated in River
side, Ogallah, Voda, Coliyer and Wa
Keeney precincts, the latter being
very freely signed by voters from
other parts of the county whose
business forced them to come to town
despite the almost impossible con-
dition of the country roads. Unfor-
tunately, this same fact made the
circulation of petitions very difficult
and it is probable that twice as many
would have signed if they could have
had an opportunity to do so, as 1T
appears to be very popular propo-
Sition wherever the facts and con-
ditions are known and understood.
However, only 325 signatures were
required and the county commits
sioners have called such an election
to be held on the second Tuesday in
February and legal notice is being
given by publication in both the
county papers in order that all
voters have ample opportunity to
read and inform themselves.
TT Se are a number of good and
substantial reasons favoring an issue
of bonds at this particular time for
purpose named. Let it be known,
first, that the high school trustees
are in duty bound to provide and
equip a building for the school, and
that, too, within the next two or
three years or sooner if possible. To
this end they have already made
direct tax levy of three-fourths of
one mill as the beginning of build
ing fund. This levy will produce
between seven and eight thousand
dollars by the time the June taxes
are paid, and this sum must lie idle,
doing the people of the county very
little, if any good, until two or three
other such levieS are made and col
lected, unless other funds are raised
by a bond issue. 1t is hard time to
raise money to pay taxes and Will be
for the next two or three years, and
the burden will fall most heavily on
those who are now living in the
county A bond issue. would spread
the burden out over period of ten
to twenty years and part of tn
load would fall on those who get the
benefit of the school in the future.
A bond issue would enable the trus-
tees to erect and equip the building
Immediately and the school occupy
and use it. The money already
raised by taxation would be set to
work and used by the people who
have paid il. If built now, the work
probably would cost much less than
if built when times have become
good, again. Labor and materials
are cheaper, and the work is needed
by men who would be glad to have
an opportunity to earn an honest
dollar. Contractors will offer more
favorable bids, because scarcity of
Jobs makes more competition In
short, the principal is this: Make
public improvements in 'hard times"
and pay for them when times are
better. That is the way we did In
the matter of the court house, it is
paid for, and everybody is glad and
proud of it. We got good job at
very favorable price. We have a
GOOD chance to do as well in the
matter of a county high school
building.
The law limits an issue of county
high school bonds TO $4,000,
which with the levy of this year
probably VIII be sufficient to erect
and equip a good, substantial and
durable building, large enough to
meet the needs of the comfy for the
next twenty years, and one which
will reflect credit upon the intelli-