The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-02-18
THAT sSO,OOO,OOO PROPOSITION

At a recent meeting. the Tampa
board of trade passed resolution adj
vocating a fifty million dollar bond is
sue for the state of Florida, the mon
ey to be applied to building better
roads. The Star has received from the
said board a copy of the said resolu-
tion. with letter asking that we ad-
vocate the proposed bond issue, and
that il we oppose it we give our reas-
ons for so doing.
The Star is opposed to the PROPOSE
tion for the following reasons:
First 1t is too much of a load for
our thinly settled state to assume. It
would not be so much if the state was
free Of debt, but with almost every
town and county in it already burden
ed with debt, and our people taxed
higher than they have ever been. it
would be foolish for US to assume an
other financial obligation, the interest
on which alone would call for a tax of
at least SO per capita. That is, every
farmer, artisan, business and profess
sional man would add from SIS to $50
a year to his taxes, for as everybody
knows a considerable portion of our
population never pays any taxes.
Second. 1t does not appear to US to
be the best way to build roads. We
prefer that each county construct it's
roads as 1t can and will, and the state
aid 1t as much as is practicable. We
want to see Marion county bond for
roads to a reasonable amount, and see
the money spent among our own peo-
pie and under their supervision We
know very well where we would come
in, also where would get off, with a
big $50,000,0OO bond issue The first
dash out OF the box would be a road
from Jacksonville down the coast from
one Of F1agler's hotels to another; and
then Pensacola and Tampa would have
to have theirs before there was a yard
OF road laid for a Marion county far
mer to haul produce or merchandise on.
The "laterals" would be built, of
course, IL there was any money left
when the main lines were built. There
might not be any left. A competent
bunch of grafters could make $5O,000,-
600 look like 80 cents before the main
lines were built, and with fifty millions
to handle no one need doubt that the
grafters would be strictly on the job.
1t is practically certain that the
present legislature will abolish the
state convict lease, and when it does
the proper and natural use of the con-
victs will be on the roads. They are
not likely to be all put there at once,
but many of them will be, and nearly
all are certain to be put there in time.
It is the best work they can do-they
can do the state more good that way
than any other. and it is about the only
work they can do without coming into
competition with free labor.
Another thing is that 1t is reasona-
bly, sure that in a few years the fed
eral government will turn it's attention
to building a number of great national
highways, and when it does one or
two OF them are sure TO pass through
Florida Between the certainty of
county work and state convicts. and the
probability Of a great federal highway
or two, for the people Of Florida to put
fifty million dollars into a bond issue
would be as ridiculous as trumping
your partners ace. 1t would be UNI
necessary. extravagant and unwise.
The Star believes In progress. but II
sees very little In this fifty million
proposition except a carnival of ex-
travaganee. and grinding debt for
the present generation to stagger un-
der. and turn over to its children.
We have consulted some Of our best
posted hnanciers and business men on