The Green Forest tribune., 1915-04-02
The Bond Amendment Decision

'eb4llly Al substantial Improvements like works, sewer systems, street n.n,
 and the like, because other citias n
 are forging ahead have them a
 that they have investigated the mo.. M
 looked into both sides of the questiss
 the cost and the acruing benefits n
 are convinced that the improvema1 @
 should be made as a matter of h"
 ness investment for their resnoa. s' communities They will now go aba.s and secure the improvements no ms. ter whether they are allowed to ,.as
 municipal bonds or not. The big th;S
 was an understanding of the needs y. the improvements. That realized n' method will be incidental and
 means forthcoming.
 This explains why cities like Do,s. nelle, Harrison, Pocahontas. Lake va lage and others, upset at first bv n. blow to Amendment No. 14. bavo formed their plants and with gennin. vigor are now coming back with a, termination to secure for themso,rs. modern municipal conveniences Tb,s decline to be sewed up by little co, stitutional prohibition on bonds
 Harrison, in Boone County, is tvnl cal of the fine spirit that the progres sive towns are showing. This ci, had arranged for an issue of municin., bonds, so certain were her people th,, the 15,000 majority of those voting A, the question at the last election. b,a sealed the approval of the issue ,o. municipal .bonds. With the amend. ment killed, Harrison about faces and comes right back with an improyA ment district plan to provide the cit, with a needed $1O0,OOO system of V. terworks.
 Lake Village has set its face stead. fly to the front on the proposition a paving and sewer improvements. and has chosen committees of buspea mon to provide an improvement dis trict in place of the anticipated mupt cipal bond plan. Dardanelle is goiue ahead on the same plan, and Pocs hontas will secure her waterworks syt tenn if she has to appeal to the bust ness men in a donation way HebY Springs will work out her improve ments under the district plan
 Other towns, such as Fayetteville Malvern, Bonneville, Leslie, Bentoa and Black Rock, which had planned municipal improvements, have not had time to make definite arrangemenh but it is believed all of them will go ahead under the improvement distria plan. Only few minor projects, suG as municipal buildings, will be held up ultimately by the defeat of the municipal bond issue.
 An important fact also Is the halt of the past two years in a building way, many communities having waited 3 to see what would be the outcome of the municipal bond issue before going ahead with Improvements. These dL ties are now at that point where they can delay no longer and the improve ments must be made to meet increas ing needs. For two years they haw been educated by campaign showing the value of Improvements to the community by way of attracting desir able investors and giving their own people the advantages of modern liE ing. Now the state will begin to reap the harvest of this splendid sowing The friends of Amendment No. 14 f they receive no other commendation from the state at large, are to be con- graduated for leading the hundreds of municipalities of the state into the light of improved city conditions.
 Incidentally, should 1t be desired to again revive the municipal bond issue through an amendment to the state constitution, this can be done at the election in 1918. But 1t is highly prob able that, in the meantime, the stead lily growing demand for new const tuition, as shown by the almost unant nous House vote on the Yarger Bill In the last legislature, will force tho adoption of more workable state con st1tutlon, adapted to the growing needs or the state and with more discrimt hating regard for the rights and priv lleges of communities-an organic law Interpreted in the light of tho changed economic and social condf tions of the past twenty years.
 Another and final consideration the highest importance, to take tho place in a way of the loss sustanea under the defeat of the bond amend ment is the prospective work under the new general road law of the state the Alexander Bill, which has alreaay prompted activities in the formation no less than 300 miles of pike roaas i'll a dozen different counties, anu which, within the next two years, VIII probably develop millions of dollan ln nigh grade construction work anu add Infinitely to the values Of tho property of the state.
 The bond amendment, though in9 fectlve directly, has accomplished ln primary work, and has given an ir petus to progress that will be fe' throughout tbo cto+o eor tho next d6