The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1913-10-15

BIG ROAD LOAN
Not More Than $5,OOO,OOO TO
Be Spent In Any One Year.
TO PLEDGE THE CANDIDATES
Pennsylvania Good Roads Association
Is Already Preparing to Urge Upon
Legislature Enactmen Of Proper
Enabling Laws For Carrying Out
Proposed Highway Program.

Enabling Laws For Carrying OUT
Proposed Highway Program.
Looking forward to the approval of
the S500OO000 state road loan at the
November elections, the Pennsylvania
Good Roads Associations already out
lining a campaign for the passage of
Naw by the legislature of 1915 limiting
the expenditure from this fund to So
OOO,00 in any one year.
The association realizes that proper
enabling legislation is almost as i'm
portant as the loan ITSELF and it is al
ready preparing to make the limiting
of expenditure the big issue Of the cleo
tions next fall wherever members Of
the house and senate or state officers
having to do with the highway depart
ment are to be elected. Every candi-
date for the legislature will be asked
whether or not he favors such a law,
so that the voters will know in ad.
vance exactly where he stands.
The association holds that $5OO0,0 900
a year, in addition to such sums as are
set aside from current revenues for
the uses of the highway department,
will constitute as much money as will
be necessary to carry out a systematic,
economic and practical campaign for
| first class road construction.
The association sets forth its posi-
ton on the road loan and the proposed
legislation in the following address to
the people of the state:
To the People of PENNSYLVANIA
The PENNSYLVANIA Good Roads Asso
citation commends to the favorable con
sideration of the voters the proposed
amendment to the constitution to per
nit the state to issue bonds not eX-
ceeding $50,000000 for the construc-
tion of highways. This amendment has
been adopted by two legislatures and
now requires only the approval of a
majority at the polls in the November
election of 1918.
Issuance of bonds is an approved
method of financing large enterprises,
both public and private. The consti-
tuition of Pennsylvania grants to all
municipalities the right to bond them
selves for such purposes Cities and
towns generally avail themselves OF
this efficient and economic method Of
providing funds for public works. The
proposed amendment would extend a
! like privilege to the state itself In a
limited degree and for a specific pur-
pose.
The need is imperative. Enlightened
public sentiment demands good roads.
Pennsylvania is far behind many of
her sister states in meeting this de-
mand Repeated experience has shown
that legislatures cannot be depended
on to resist the demands for appro
priations for public and private char
ities to such an extent as to permit of
adequate support for road building out
of the general revenues. A bond issue
offers the only alternative. The state
is out of debt 1t can borrow an abun-
dance of money at low interest Re
payment OF the loan through the ac-
cumulaton of a sinking fund and its
interest earnings during a long period
of years VIII impose no serious bur
den on the revenues Farms and other
real estate will not be called upon to
pay a dollar of this, because there is
and can be no state tax on real estate
in Pennsylvania.
The Pennsylvania Good Roads AS.
sociation is in favor not only Of the
bond issue, but of a conservative and
wel-ordered method of issuing these
bonds and eXpending the proceeds
thereof. Should the bond issue be ap-
proved by the voters in November, no
money would be available until the
legislature had passed and the gov
ernor approved an enabling act to car
ry the constitutional amendment into
effect. The legislature and the COVER.
nor upon whom this duty would de
volve are to be nominated at the popu,
lar primaries next spring and elected
the following November. The people
will be in a position to demand of all
candidates assurance of how they Will
deal with the expenditure of the road
funds.
This association will urge upon all
candidates and upon the incoming
state administration and Legislature
taking Office i'm January, 1915, the pIs.
sage of an enabling act that will pro
vide for the issuing of the bonds in
amounts not to exceed S5,0OO,O0O a
year. so as to produce only so much
money as may be necessary in addi-
tion to appropriations from the cur
rent revenues to carry out a syste.
matte, economical and practical cam.
paign of first class highway construc.
ton. The best efforts of an association
of representative citizens of all shades
of political belief and all walks Of life
are pledged to this end.
The officers of the Pennsylvania
Good Roads Association are as follows:
John S. Fisher, Indiana, Pa, President.
William c. Sproul, Chester, Pa, First
Viee President.
Frank Bell, Box 452, Harrisburg, Pa.
Secretary.
Charles S. Boil, Union Trust Co., Har
risburg Pa Treasurer.
Vice Presidents.
Edwin S. Stuart, Philadelphia.
John p. Elllin, Indiana
Rt. Rev. James Henry Darlington, lIar
risburg.
Edward L. Jones. Hartford
John Il. Fox. Hlrri burg.
Charles S. Price, J0rnstOwn.
General Charles Miller, Franklin
j. Horace Mcfarland, Harrisburg
A. B. Farduhar, York
Edwin r.. Sparks. state College
Frank b McClain, Lancaster
Charles f. Patton. Curwensville.
Charles M Schwab, Bethlehem,
John s. Killing, Erie.
John II. Rothermel, Reading.
Joseph c. Trees PITTSBURGH.
Robert =. -HabgrOd. Bradford.