Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1912-09-28
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER %, 1912.
THE ROAD BOND ISSUE
SHOULD CARRY.
WHY

Will Cameron county vote to have
Good Roads thus placing itself in the
ranks of the progressive counties of
the state, or will the fear Of a little
extra tax burden defeat the plan
that means so much to the people Of
the county? That is the question that
will be answered at the polls on Tues
day, October first.
II is proposed TO issue bonds to
the amount of two hundred and fifty
thousand dollars for the purpose Of
building a system of good roads all
over the county. This money will be
spent in the various precincts of the
county. in proportion to the amount
of taxes paid by each precinct. Main
Line Highways will be constructed
connecting up the various towns in
the county. Community roads will be
built connecting with the Main
Line Highways. The plan outlined
by thsCameron County Good Roads
ASSOCIATION are broad, comDrehen-
s've and absolutely fair to every sec
ton Of the county.
This question is one Of the most
important that the people Of the
county have yet been called upon TO
decide. Good Roads are not a fad.
They are not a luxury, they are a
business necessity. They are more i'm
portant to the farmers than to any
one else. Economists agree that n
of the largest items of Unnecessary
farm expense is the cost Of trans
porting farm products over bad roads.
b. +. Yoakum in a recent magazine
article made it very clear that with
out good roads, farms could not be
operated profitably ten miles from a
shipping point.
If Cameron County votes for the
bond issue, it will mean an addition
to the tax rate. This fact may in
fluence some few voters to oppose the
measure. Not one, however. who will
give the matter careful consideration
will be misled by the fear of a bur
densome tax. The increases would be
approximately twelve and one quar-
ter cents on the hundred dollar val
uation. 1t would cost a farmer whose
property is rendered for taxation at
$4,000, about six dollars a year, or
fifty cents a month, TO have good
roads all over the county. Two hours
saved for a man and team by reason
NJ having better roads would put him
kvenSn his monthly pro rata Of eX-
pense fox, this bond issue.
Good roars make property worth
more because it makesdt more Access
sible.
Good roads make country life
more pleasant, because il brings peo-
pie in closer touch with one another.
Good roads make farming more
profitable because it reduces the ex-
pense Of transportation between the
farm and the market.
Ii Is easy to understand how a
person owning a large body of land
that is producing nothing might OBJ
ject to paying this tax. on The theory
that the county would develop any
way and he would reap the benefit
of enhanced values, but It is not easy
to understand how any farmer or
business man with ordinary good
Judgment could oppose Good Roads.
AS a matter Of fact very few Of that
class will vote against the bond is
sue
A strong argument in favor Of the
bond issue lies in the Influence that
Good Roads viii have upon the peo-
pie who come to Cameron county
with a view OF Investing in property
OF any kind. Good Roads indicate
to them hat the people now here
have confidence in the future Of the
county, that they are here TO stay
and that they are providing for con
viences and comforts that natural
ly surround a community Of Home
Builders. When the stranger in any
community finds everything indicat-
ing permanency and stability he Us
filled with confidence. but when he
finds a disposition on the part o: the