The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1915-02-22
vOX POPULI.
: ~~~~ANNNAAAAA~A
CITY COMMISSIONERS SHOULD
BUILD THE PUBLIC DOCK

Editor Pensacola journal: Just two
weeks before Frank Mayes died he
wrote strong editorial urging the inn
mediate building Of Pensaccla's public
dock and belt railroad.
This appeared in The Journal of
Sunday January 18th, and up to the
present has been disregarded by the
city commissioners.
Frank Mayes quoted from the Balti-
more Manufacturers Record which
gave particulars of city and county
work to be undertaken at once at
Rome Ga, amounting to s350,000 "be-
cause such work can be done NOW
more economically than win be possible
in the next year or two"
Continuing, the Record said BUILD
NOW AND DO PUBLIC WORK NOW
should be the slogan throughout the
South, and. indeed, throughout the
country. The time Is propitious for
doing public work now. Here is a
great advantage at the present time in
doing such work, for at present thou
sands of people are out of employ
ment, building material is lower than
it has been for years, and 1t is there
fore possible to do such work at d
lower cost than 1t has been for many
years. Employment would in this way
be given to many now seeking en-
ployment in vain. Every public official
ought to take an active interest in in
vestigating the feasibility of taking up
Immediately all construction work
that can be done to advantage Every
man who holds back work ie injuring
the country. Every piece of municipal
or county work that is delayed by rea.-
son of inactivity on the part of muni- /
cipaI or county officials is injuring the
whole community. Counties, cities,
states and the national government can
provide money for work of this kind,
and NOW is the time when those who
can do such work ought to do it, and
DO IT NOW" Every days delay is a
DISADVANTAGE to the country. |
Every piece OF work put under con-
struction at present is a HELP to |
the country"
Frank Mayes then commented as fol-
lows:
What the Record says as applying |
to the country at large, applies with |
even more force to Pensacola in par |
ticular. If you have an old barn or |
garage to fix up, do it now. If your
house needs painting, do it now. II |
you contemplate building house, do |
it now. Labor and material are all l
cheaper now than they will be year
from now. AT the same time, labor
needs work more now than it will IL |
months hence.
IF A CITY NEEDS A BELT LINE
OR A PUBLIC DOCK, BUILD THEM
NOW.
If those who have the money will |
do the things now that are necessary
to be done, they can save money by
doing it and can help others who need
money at this time
There never was a time when the
man with money could do more good
with it than he can do now--if hel
only willard he can help himself as
well as others by doing it.
AND THE REASONING THAT
APPLIES TO AN INDIVIDUAL AP-
PLIES WITH EVEN MORE FORCE
TO A CITY"
The large type is Frank AIaye's own
dictation, which of itself proves how
strongly he wished the belt line and
Dock to be built AT ONCE. And this
from q man who never wrote without
first investigating the conditions;
from man whose death has filled the
newspapers with expressions of regret
from the greatest officials in the Unit
ed States, including president Wood
row Wilson.
Commensurate as Mayor Greenhut's
action is in supporting the movement
for a statue to Frank Mayes. it would
be more to the point if he bestirred
himself towards carrying out the dead
mans last great public wish for the
benefit of his follow citizens.
GILFTLLAN SCOTT.