The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1916-07-29
POLK LIVED
THE PROBLEM
Practical Manner of Submitting Z
Good Roads Bond Issue
to the People
(Associated Press)

The following editorial from the
Road Maker, the monthly journal de-
voted to the practical problems of
highway transportation, points out
the advantages of the Polk county,
Fla, method of submitting a good
roads bond issue to the voters. 1t is
this plan that is proposed for Marion
county.
The editorial is as follows:
Polk county, Florida, voted ST.
500, 900 bond issue June End with
which to build a system of hard roads.
There is nothing particularly remark
able about this fact, because a large
number of counties IN the United
States have voted sums Of equal OF
greater amount, but the manner in
which Polk county did it is entitled
to study.
Following the plans adopted this
year in Pinellas county, Florida, Polk
county let the contracts for all of the
217 miles of hard-surfaced road in
cluded in the system to be built, be-
fore they asked for the money with
which to build them. Under this plan
the voters knew just exactly what
they were going to get and just ex-
actly what they were going to pay for
every bit of it.
The manner in which they respond
ed to this statement is shown by the
vote and by the fact that in one pre-
cinct, where 10 votes were cast, moi
a single negative vote was registered
About the same time, San Diego
county, California, submitted a bond
issue for s2,201, 900. The amount was
based upon thorough estimate Of
what they could use and of what they
had left of their bonding power, and
| no plans were given to the people te
show just exactly where the money
was going. Even the commercial or.
ganizations of San Diego opposed the
bond issue on this ground.
The people of San Diego county arr
not less progressive than those o1
other counties in that state or in Flor
ida. They simply want to know what
they are going to get fdr the money
and they have right to knoE.
What is true in California and Flor
ida is equally true in Illinois, Iowa
Missouri, Wisconsin or Minnesota
The farmers of these states are no
one bit less progressive or less appre
ciative of the value of good roads thar
the people of California or Florida
Of course, in this great black dir
belt, where nature has done much to
ward making every one rich who wa
fortunate enough to get here early, at
tention is not so easily directed to tn
one thing lacking as it is in com
munity less favored with natural re
sources.
California, Colorado or Florida de
pend quite largely for their revenue
upon the tourists, f>d roads become
under modern transportation meth
ods, very vital factor IN entertain
| ing the visitors and in making then
satisfied with the country. If Hlinoi
had very little besides climate an
scenery, roads would become an ab
solute necessity at the present time
As it is, they can get by withou
them, and, therefore, it is harder t
focus attention on this great eco
nomic problem.
| But this state is thoroughly wide
awakesto the proposition now, and
we could submit, in any county in 4
linois, comprehensive system Q
roads under contract for specifi
amount, with bonds deposited with th
county authority for the faithful pei
formance of said contract, and givin