The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1912-06-01
PROPOSED BOND ISSUE

and for the total sum of Fifty Thousane
} Dollars for public improvements, mee
with the unqualified endorsement o.
The Sea Coast Echo. This is no reve-
lation to our readers. This paper has
ever stood for Bay st. Louis and Han
cock county-hrst, last and all the time
We are of the opinion that, for the ac.
complishment of better things and te
secure a more progressive order Of
/ things and the advanc ement of personal
and general prosperity, we must not
only adopt, but exercise, a construc tive
policy.
1t is pity that the energy spent in
decrying and disparaging every move
for the local upbuilding is not contrib
uted towards securing public improve
ments! What a rich share would be
ours todayl The inclination to destroy
rather than to construct is, unfortunately
for ourselves, only to prevalent, and the
sooner we stem this tide, eventually to
prove overwhelming, all the earlier will
| Bay st. Louis come into it's own. That
this disposition, in measure, prevails
in Bay st. Louis, we cannot deny. To
| do SO we become purblind and oblivious
to an impending agency that at every
stroke spells retrogression.
Again, we endorse the proposed Fifty
| Thousand Dollar bond issue, and we
cannot condone the effort of some of
our well-meaning people, who see
breakers ahead on the sea of time, to
intercept the bond issue on its way to
final adoption this afternoon before
the Board of Mayor and Aldermen at
their regular monthly meeting at $3.50
o'clock.
These same friends favored the same
bond issue, as proposed some time
since, with none of the former provi-
sions and features changed or added
thereto. And in 80 short time condi-
tions have not changed. If there be
any change, it should be all the more
| in favor of the bond issue; for the
need of this money, the cry and neces-
sity of the proposed improvements on
our front and other streets is now more
imperative, the need becomes more
acute from day to day, and the chaotic
condition of this municipality in the
absence of its chief asset - restored
streets-is felt all the more.
One or more petitions have been cir
culated this week, soliciting signatures,
praying the Board of Mayor and Al
dermen not to adopt the bond issue
measure at its meeting this afternoon,
but, according to that privilege granted
by law, to first put it to a vote of the
people-not the property owners and
heaviest taxpayers-but to the voters.
The purpose of the petition will prove
unavailing, unless twenty per cent. of
the bona fide property owners and tax
payers sign it, and whether the opposi-
ton can muster up such strength re-
mains to be seen.
| We have no objection to this petition
and its purpose, namely, to put the
matter directly before the people, or,
rather, the voters (for we believe in
yox populi), save one, and that is the
DELAY it will occasion in the forthcom-
ing of the money that will mean so
much to Bay ST. Louis since the storm
of two years ago. AS to the final out
come of SUCH an election, we haYe no
apprehensions. We feel confident the
Ipeople of Bay St. Louis, those who own
the property and pay the taxes, real
ize the necessity of public improve
ments, especially at this particular
time; they must know that while as
sessments have an upward tendency
values are constantly depreciating, and
that the bottom of the real estate mar
ket has dropped out, SO to speak.
( However the difference Of opinion on
the proposed bond issue, all are agreed, ,
whether optimist or pessimist, that Bay
n ST. Louis is on the downward grade
and that the remedy lies in public
| improvements. "Public Improvements
should be the slogan.
AS to the objections, as set forth by
the signers of the opposition petition,
The Echo will not dwell on these just
now at least. Not that we wish to
evade the issue, nor that we have no
answer to their argument; for every
question has its answer. But for the
reason that when this reaches our many
readers in Bay st. Louis. the Board OF
Mayor and Aldermen will have con-
vened and the question then will al
| ready have been settled either in the
affirmative or in the negative. What
ever the decision, The Echo will abide
by it; but if the proposed bond issue
for municipal improvements is defeated,
it will be equal to greater disaster
than the memorable storm and its at
i tending destruction and subsequent
4 blighting influences on the progress
and natural prosperity Of this city
and however willing We are TO accept
| the decision, we will feel that we can
not but deprecate the action, and the
- - 4 u. a, r3rx