The Green Forest tribune., 1914-07-31
WOULD REMOVE:
 HE RAND|CAPS
PROPOSED AMENDMENT NO. IA WILL PERMIT THE ISSUANCE
 OF BONDS.
UNDER PROPER SAFEGUARD
Hioh Rates of interest for Capital to Make Public improvements Would
 Be Obviated by this Act.
(From Arkansas Progress.)

(From Arkansas Progress.)
 The insistent demand for new con stitution comes from the statesmen and thoughtful business men who req lize fully the handicaps of tho present fundamental law of the state.
 The number of amendments pro- posed at the biennial elections lndl- cate the crying need of relief from the out-grown restrictions that are placed upon our citizenship by the organic law.
 One of the most striking of these condi eions, inconsistent with the bnsi- ness methods of today, is the inhlbl- tion against the issuance of bonds for internal improvements by municipali- ties.
 Twice has a majority Of the people voting on the subject declared them selves in favor of removing this unjust restriction, but both times they failed through technicalities, the last time oe- cause the Supreme Court decided that Rot more than three amendments could be submitted at one time, and the bond amendment was the fifth.
 Now representatives of the cities and towns of the state, calling into counsel the wisest legal minds of Ar kansas, have re-drafted the Bond Amendment which is to be submitted again to the people at the, September election.
 All reasonable objections that were offered to the amendment have been eliminated, the proposed measure has been wholly rewritten and greatly strengthened, and it goes before the people with the support of the Greater Arkansas Association whose member ship comprises the municipal officers and commercial bodies of practically all our cities and towns.
 It's provisions are carefully safe guarded, so there need be no fear of an abuse of the bond-issuing power. It is all in the hands of the people.
 The passage of the Bond Amend ment will not fasten bonds upon any one-all that 1t proposes to do is to remove the prohibition from the Con- stitution so that communities desiring to do so may issue bonds for the pur pose of makjag certain specified i'm provements of a general character, un- der conditions that preclude all chance of graft and Juggling with the peoples money.
 Only the superficial thinker will con- tend for a moment that the present. system of making public improvements is at all adequate to the demands of our progressive municipalities.
 The system is slow, cumbersome, ex- pensive, negotiable, and open more to facilities for the unlawful diversion of funds than some people imagine.
 Burdens are Il ow concentrated, whereas justice demands that they be equally distributed among all who may profit by the funds contributed.
 Under the present system cities must pay high rates Of interest on short-term accommodations, but Amendment No. If provides thas no bonds or interest bearing evidence of indebtedness in cities of the first class shall bear more than per cent in. r. est and in cities of the second ass and incorporated towns not nc. than 6 per cent. Now per ce;s : is the usual rate paid, and often u exceeds that amount.
 There is mistaken not on in some quarters that this amend; ;aent win be opposed by the rural vo.ar. There is no tangible evidence that this is true, for as a matter of fac, Amendment No. IA does not in any way affect the farmer or the man who pays his taxes in the country.
 That being true, there is no reason why the farmer should oppose a meas ure which the resident of the city is asking for-rather would he be eX- pected to give his aid in passing the Bond Amendment as an evidence of the greater spirit of cooperation exist ing between the city and the country.
 Even though the amendment be passed, there is certain procedure fully set out in the measure that must be followed before bonds are voted upon community.
 Provided" reads the amendment. that incorporated towns of 1000 or more population, as shown by the next preceding Federal census, or by a census taken for that purpose by the municipal authorities of said towns, and cities of the first and second class, may issue, by and with the consent of a majority of the qualified electors of said municipalities voting on the ques- tion at an election held for that pur- pose, bonds or other interest-bearing evidences Of indebtedness in sums and for the purposes approved by such majority at such election"
 The people of Arkansas have in the past had just cause to look with suspi- cion upon anything bearing the name of bond" but the bogie of the past should no longer alright the progres- sive citizen of today when methods are suggested that meet the approval of our most careful and patriotic busi- ness men.