The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1915-06-04
VIM. F. TIETJE ON
THE BOND ISSUE.

II given my choice to create a subject
of great interest alike to city and
country, / believe would choose the
subject Of Good Roads.
In the choice Of this subject would
not be actuated, at least not primarily
so, by the meterial gain which would
come to the parish Of Jefferson Davis
as result OF the net work Of graveled
highways, such as is being outlined by
the good road commission created by
the Police Jury Of Jefferson Davis Par.
iSh.
My first and all absorbing reason in
making my plea to the people of this
parish, asking their support and coop.
Grafton in Parishwide movement for
good roads Is to eliminate isolated
neighborhood conditions. for it is ever
under such Environments that we fos.
ter narrow sectional thought and opin.
ions, retard progress and spell death
to the fraternal spirit which would
leap beyond the boundary lines of self.
interest.
1t is of the most fundamental import.
ance that Jefferson Davis Parish
Shoulh think together. Should think
and act ultimately as whole being ey.
er alert to the fact that IN as much as
we fail in this principle must we ap.
pear as whited Sepulchre, beautiful
perhaps in part, yet the manifest decay
giving the lie to the claim of pros.
perity.
Now it is not my aim to charge any
particular neighborhood, section or
city with this narrow sectional spirit,
for ] lear If called upon TO appear be.
fore tribunal of Justice we would all
have to plead guilty, but / would
through this system of good roads
Introduce an agency, making it i'm.
possible for such conditions to breed,
for good roads eliminate distance and
the elimination of distance makes pos.
sible the social intercourse of the PEG.
pie Of the Parish as a whole and ex.
perience gives ample proof that when
men touch shoulders and have an in.
telligent understanding of one an.
others needs there will be little diff.
Guilty getting unanimous action to
succor the need of the hour.
However, somebody says talk is
cheap, but it takes money to build
roads and keep them in repair.
Granted:--Says a divine writer, THE
Liberal Soul Shall Be Made Fat. And
it is no doubt a fact that men every
where are made to cry hard times be.
cause they keep their hands closed with
a clamlike grip to the need of the hour
until even almighty God can't I'LL them
for the inevitable laws governing loss
and gain is comprehended in this prin.
cipal: Except a grain of wheat fall in
the ground and DIE it abideS alone
hence it is in the favorable attitude to.
ward this bond issue that the people of
Jefferson Davis Parish serve their best
interest. bringing new life and activi.
ties to the business interest of the
Parish and set in motion individual ei.
fort, building good dirt roads to con.
meet with these gravel highways.
But even it viewed from the narrow
angle Of self interest this bond issue
making possible the building Of about
$50 miles of gravel road, not counting
bridges, would still be profitable in.
vestment. For every Ward is carry.
ing an additional Ave mill road tax.
Said taxes would cover the five mill
taxes under bond issue Eliminating
1870 miles of dirt roads, leaving the
regulrr road taxes for the upkeep of
dirt roads, the only additional burden
to the parish that this system of roads
in the near future would call for,
would be a possible 1.2 mill tax for
upkeep and bridging, giving this par.
ish roads such as she has never en-.
ioyed heretofore.
And last and by no means least the
people of our parish seat in the event
that this bond issue carries are willing
0 foregl.l3 easure and convenienc