Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1912-01-23
EXHAUSTIVE DISCUS
SION OF BOND ISSUE
A. w. Buchanan States the Case
Clearly, Fully and Fairly.


call that some months ago ] gave
through your columns my views on
the bond issue, and those who re-
member the article already know that
am overwhelmingly in favor of the
special tax, or anything else that will
help to improve the public highways
of my county; for, as l see it, there is
not another question before our peo-
pie today fraught with half SO much
importance as the good roads ques-
ton. do not believe that there could
be any material thing happen to
Brazos county that would be of as
much direct benefit to all the people
of the county as would be the general
improvement of our public roads, and
do not believe that there is man in
the county but that will fully agree
with me on this proposition. But, as
| | understand it, the difference of opin-
ion arises over the expediency of rails
ing enough money at the present time
to put all our roads in good condition,
by means of a special tax created by
bond issue. 1t is perfectly natural
for an American citizen to object to
tax of any amount or of any kind.
There are none of us who are really
in love with the taxpaying idea, and
nearly all of us have an annual tussle
with the tax assessor and the boards
of equalization trying to "razzle" them
down to the lowest notch. But, my
friends, after all, it is the only way
we have of raising public funds, and
while we may not like it, still 1t is
the fairest way that we know to pro-
vide for paying public debts. Nobody
can escape tax, and under the pres
ent rendition law we all have to come
across" pretty we'll equalized. And, as
stated in my former article, even
"old tightwad' has to dance to the
music of taxation, when, If you try
to raise money by public donation, no
difference how worthy and urgent the
cause, he would not give you one cent
to save your life. Now, in the discus
sion of this bond issue, ask that we
be fair and honest, for the Importance
of the proposition is too vital to admit
of anything but fairness and honesty.
In saying what l will pn this article,
or elsewhere, l am going~to give my
friends who differ from me on the
question the full privilege Of their
opinion, in the full assurance that
each of them is going to be actuated
in the matter, after due consideration,
by what he conceives to be his pa.
triotic duty as citizen of our county.
Let us, briefly, notice some of the
objections that have been offered to
the proposition. 1t was first urged
that the movement was gotten up by
automobile owners to build road for
"joy riders" from the north end to the
south end of the county, running par
allel with the Houston G. Texas Gen.
trail railroad and connecting at each
end with what was known as the
Pathfinder" that was projected to be
built from Red river to the gulf. But
since the building of that road fell
through" so to speak, that argument
went with the failure OF the road.
The next argument against the is
sue was that the money would all be
spent in and near around Bryan; but
that argument will not hold good be-
cause it has been met by specific
promise from the commissioners court
that the money would be pro rated to
the different roads of the county.
The next objection offered was that
they were afraid to risk the commits
sioners court with that much road
at once-that they were afraid
it would be squandered and very little
real good accomplished. But this OBJ
lection is met by a recommendation
from the citizens of Bryan, which is
sanctioned by the court, that an ad-
visory committee be appointed to act
with the commissioners court in the
of this money, that the
should be composed OF
some of the very best men in the
whole county and that each precinct
in the county should have represent
ative on that committee.
The next objection was that it
would require an additional tax of 20
cents on the $500 to meet the require
ments of the bond issue, and the 20
cents more in addition to what we
are already paying, would be too much
Of tax burden for any people to have
to pay. The commissioners met this
objection with a signed statement to
the effect that if the bond issue passed