The Ocala banner., 1912-06-28
COT. ROGERS ON GOOD ROADS
Lynne. Fla, June 90, 1912.

To the Editor Oeala Banner:
A. large bodies move slowly, |
have been hindering time trying to
reconcile some of the statements of
my friend. C. NJ. b." CBlitch) from
Hlltehl0n. aud make them conform to
his expressions OF approval of the
county court house, the Jail and the
steel bridges
II / understand him correctly, his
mortal dread Is the debt that might
49, lett 10 bis children and their pos
ferlty. by building good roads and
makinR public Improvements while
BE- and are here TO occupy and en-
Joy them
According TO his theory, we would
not now have the court house, Jail
and bridges. For il is a fact that
uhen the county commissioners real
lzed. few years ago. the imperative
need ~ a new court house they call
~ an election and asked the voters
e. give them a small issue of bonds
Go enable the commissioners TO build
the court house The voters fatty
denied the issue OF bonds, and judg-
lnN from the tone OF my friends let
teFs. and his mortal dread of public
debt. be. with his influence. opposed
the bonds Then the county commis-
aioners called together leading men
and tax payers from different parts
uf the county. and by their advice and
consent proceeded to build the court
house The bridges and the Jail were
built b. the commissioners, like the
cunr1 house. on credit. and yet my
fflend 90 a. B." says he is proud
81 them bur oh. that debt! Like the
mouse. he lives IN fear of the ills he
knows not Of
~ friend complains of living so
far out where there are mo rock
reads. very few straw and no dirt
f0ada to speak Of yet he boasts of
~ acres 81 land selling out there for
8eih0 cash cannot understand why
men would De dissatisfied residing in
, nelehborhood where there was COM
uafatlyely no roads. and land selling
Iar SO per acre cash | will venture
this blind assertion. viz That the
man aho sold this particular so acres
og laud for s2lG0 cash has never paid
80 pef year taxes on that land, even
fhaush the levy vas 25 mills per an
nam
Non ms friend. If you will use
ynuf saod influence TO have the as
aeeeed valuation Of the property of
fhe county az something like half of
- value pat on the tax books. and
the leRy remain az q mills, you will
moun have that ghost of debt removed
fFom vour posterity, and will have a
Nuod road % your home also.
Hse 90 advise you to never quote
So recommendation OF a grand jury,
eeme ut whom mas have been advis-
81 - outside friends unless you
Muum their hgures are correct The
saaFg paid Alr Henry Gordon to
oversee the hard road work and the
enmnt8 eonvicts is only $l00 per
uonth. aud not slg5 per month, as
ghns Has Plenty ct men can be hir-
80 far So per month. and board, to
takt the loh bat they would perhaps
Qaal the county more In three months
fhan NF Gordon would in twelve.
~ man aho Is competent to build a
fufh Fuaa and manage and control
Successfully 4 camp OF c0nvicts, can
b. employed for less than 800 per
mlunth have found Mr. Gordon TO
g. tfuihfai aud honest TO cent in
hmslneaa have travelled over the
roeh read he built an IN the Mcintosh
aevtiau knd found Il perfection. with
tha escepl i0n of proper drainage. oh,
II mt friends al nlitchton had such a
rana. 81 even / a. Lynne. there would
- haa bowling aud taulthnding. But
81. my soul that grand jury find of
alf4H1tss Indebtedness, and our
ehllaFens children crying, "Debt!
nsbt What shall we do"
Noa mt friend Il we viii all give
ln aar ploperty 20 the assessor at
ahHhaH value aud continue TO pay
tases ag a1 mills per annum, the debt
fhaf aaa that ghastiy appearance will
pasa aNaY like the shadows when
a. sgands cover them from the sun.
lf saaF tAeofy should obtain and
she eaaniy commissioners were stop
paa fum bulldtng aud repairing pub
g. faasa for three months in Marion
KouHls Ghe hickory shirt boys that
snu atlmae fo would raise yell that
uaHld astanish the natives used
e. auaf one myself and would kick
asa snen when an axle of my old
twaMheel cart would break with a