Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1912-08-25
Judge Grace Says Amend ment No. 15 Will Be of Great Benefit to Cities
 And Towns.
WROTE MAYOR JORDAN
Says Country People Will Not Re Af- fected By New Law--Cities
 "Hands !ied'' Now.


 on any subject s valuable and con- s1dered an auth,rity, favors Amcnd- ment No. 15, Wai,h is to be submit- ted to the voters of this s.ate on Sep s-mEer 3 and which gives cities and t j" ns the "'gh. to issue honds for Dullic ;nlprOveH ents. In ..ilcr 70 sMaor 4. | .o,us Il, which wa5 lece.s. ed hy him yesterday, Judge Grace heartily approves the bond issue Jaw and cites many reasons why it should be adopted His letter fol
 August "A, 1912. Hon. A: c. Jordan,
 Mayor of Pine Bluff.
 Dear Sir:
 There is one measure to be voted upon at the ensuing September elec- tion which is of the very highest im- portance to all the cities and larger towns of the State. I refer to pro- posed amendment to our 'antiquared constitution designated as Amend ment No. 15.' This amendment, if il cas-. for and against it throughout the cast for and against it throughut the whole state, will permit cities of the first classes and towns of more lhan 1000 population to issue bonds for the purpose Of making improvements of general and public craracter i1 such cities and towns respectively
 "As tl,c law now stands the ciiits 9. d towns of Arkansas are practical ly tied hand and foot by the Constitu- ticn of 1874. If Improvements of any kind necessary to a modern up- to-date civilized community are de- sired, our only remedy at present is by means of local improvements se:v- ing and b,i.efiting the whole commit nitp, is practicable, but such work must be done 2iecemeals and under the direction of various boards and. connected manner and at different times, etc. However, it is useless to point out to intelligent and we'll in- formed persons the desirability and necessity of the proposed amendment. These are self evident to any sane sminl What I wish to call your at tention to is the important fact that this amendment, while it affects only those people who pay taxes in the cities and towrs and cannot possibly affect, in the slightest degree, either directly or indirectly, the property owners outside of such cities and towns, must really be adopted by what we call the country vote. It must receive majority of all the votes cast on the question whether the voter lives in town or country and whether he pays any taxes (other than a polD or not.
 Experience in this and other states has shown that voters who do not fully understand any question sub- mitted to them usually vote in the negative. If this is true and the mat ter is as vital to the interests of our urban communities as it appears to me to be, something ought to be done AND DONE AT ONCE, to make the provisions of Amendment No. 15' fam iliar and plain to every voter in the State.
 Mere publication of the proposed measure in the newspapers and few sporadic meetings of mayors and boards of trade will certainly not ac- complish the desired end Eny meas ure that proposes taxation meets in- stinctive opposition from the voter at first blush and he must be educated up to it and shown where it will bene- fit him or at least not do him any possible harm or he will vose again st it.
 "The substantial provisions and eff fects of the proposed amendment may be condense das follows:
 First. It does not in any manner affect or tax any property except that situated in the cities and towns.
 Second. No bonds can be issued until after they are authorized by a vote of majority of the taxpayers of the town at a regular election held for the purpose under the laws of the State.
 .sThird. All such bond issues are limited to not exceeding ten per cent of the assessed value of the town 70 issuing them.
 Fourth. The interest on such bonds cannot exceed six per cent per annum in cities of the second class and towns. or five per cent, per an nun in cities Of the first class. Y. x<,..s :. aA l,o u0ld