The Huttig news., 1912-09-07

and gives cities and towns of the state
| the right to issue bonds for certain
purposes if they desire to do So If
a majority of the voters of a city Or
town are not in favor OF the issuance of
| bonds for certain purpose or for any
purpose, they can say so by their votes
and the bonds can not be issued. It is
declared to be merely the application
| of the principle of self government in
matters that affect only the people Of
a particular community.
The amendment affects only the
cities and towns of more than zoe
population.
1t can affect the taxes of no one out
side the cities and towns and it can
affect the taxes of the people living
in the cities and towns only when
these people say themselves hat they
want TO tax themselves to secure pub
/ lie improvements. For this reason It
is believed that there will be pract
eally no opposition to the amendmen
among the country voters as the Ia
ter will be willing to concede to tn
people of the cities and towns tn
right to act on matters of this kind
which affect themselves alone and can
have no effect whatever on the resi-
dents of the country.
II this amendment is adopted bond
can be issued to raise money only for
public improvements of a general ma
ture and for the use and benefit OF
the entire city or town.
The amendment provides that bonds
can be issued only for the following
purposes:
For the funding or refunding Of
any existing debt of any city of the
first or second class or such incorpo
rated towns incurred prior to the adop-
ton of this amendment for the con-
struction of public highways, streets,
alleys and boulevards; for the pur-
chase and equipment of parks and
Fairgrounds, either inside or outside
of the city limits; for the construction
of drainage or sanitary sewers; fos
the purchase and construction of cit
halls. prisons, libraries, hospitals, firs
stations and equipment, viaducts and
bridges, and for any and all public
buildings, structures, or grounds that |
may be required by said city for the |
proper and economical administration
of its government and for the pur-
chase, requirement or construction of
waterworks, lighting plants and street
IN
ment of a general nature for the use
and benefit of said city. except to aid
in the construction of railroads or en-
terprises operated by any private cor
poration.
For these purposes and no other
can bonds be issued under the propos-
I'd amendment
Attention is also called particularly
to the fact thst the people alone will
be responsible for the issuing of bonds
under the amendment and that no
1ebt can be created unless the people
decree that it shall be created
at may be urged says a statement
given out by the executive committee
in charge of the submission of the
that the city officials
can saddle an issue of bonds on the
unsuspecting citizens of any city or
town: but this is not the case. No
mayor or town council can do it; poll
ticians cannot do it; business mems
cannot do it; the people
alone, voting at the election held for
that purpose after being fully advised,
can do it. Arkansas is the only State
whose cities and towns do not possess
this power The result has been dis
astrous. Our cities and towns have
Jagged behind those of other States.
We lack good streets, sewers, water
works, lights, parks, hopsitals, civ |
halls, and other public buildings prop
er fire protection, play grounds for |
almost everything that goes
to make an up-to-date city. The low |
limit of taxation at the present timr
makes it impossible to acquire these I
things, and then to acquire them by tax
alton would practically amount to con
fiscation. Neither would it be jus
and fair for us to lay such burden /
upon our own shoulders. for when |
these improvements are made, many
will be attracted to our cities and
towns who will enjoy the advantage
of such improvements. and who should
help to pay for them. The only way
to get these improvement and the
only way to equitably distribute the
burden of paying for them is by is
suing bonds-as provided in proposed
Amendment No Is
"Much of the money raised by these
bonds will go back to the people for
labor and materials. 1t is not 10 be
sent away or squandered-the people
get the benefit of every dollar"