The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-05-13

the decision Of the people on this
bond issue. How to get good roads is
the main question, either by bonds or
direct taxation, must do one or the
other. The great necessity in Polk
county is smooth, hard-surfaced, per-
manent roads. That unless he has
read public sentiment wrong, the peo-
pie will vote for good roads.
The only question is whether we
will borrow money to build them or
not. All want good roads, will have
good roads. How, he asked, first,
every dollar you work for is worth
per cent to 10 per cent to you. You
can't borrow from the banks or neigh
Dor for less. neither will you lend 1t
to smother for less. Every dollar in
Polk county is worth this same price.
The County Commissioners are up
against this same proposition coupled
with the insistent demand for good
roads and more roads, and all they
ask is that they be permitted to sat
isfy the people on this matter of
roads with money that they can OBJ
tain at so per cent and not pay per
cent as they are doing now and not
giving the people the roads they
want.
Direct Taxation Means Loss of From
to Per Cent.
IF you compel the County Com
missioners," he said, ito take money
that is worth s per cent to 10 per
cent to build these roads, they will
be taking away from you to per
cent of it. Money that you have
earned, money that you have worked
for, money that you have. Do you
want them to do this?"
If it is insisted that the County
Commissioners keep up with the devel-
opment Of adjoining counties, as they
should do, they will have to raise
a large amount by direct taxation,
which will mean that the burden of
the whole debt will fall on the PEG.
ple now. This is not a square deal
to ask the people to pay out of their
pockets now that others may enjoy
free of cost. Wisdom shows that it
is best to get money at per cent
for 20 years and let others pay their
share of the burden.
Discussed Glass Of Roads
The speaker then discussed the class
and material of which the proposed
roads are to be built and told of
their superiority over all others, de.
their superiority over all others, dem.
onstrated by the actual experience
with them in the largest cities of the
country under the heaviest volume OF
traffic. Referring specifically to the
present clay roads he spoke of the
clay road from Florence Villa to Win
ter Haven, which cost $1,000 per mile
to build and which individuals had
gone down in their own pockets tc
lresurface at cost of $4,000 Just six
weeks ago and that today, in this in
crediable short time, the road had
again gone to pieces on account oil
the excessively dry weather The
present roads at this time are break
ing down so fast that it takes all
tho rood fund ~ ayap otta,,o4 a.. H..
them in repair and there is nothing
5left to built new roads with. The
bond issue will give permanent roads
and stop this enormous loss.
He explained the financing of rail
roads. steamship lines and othel
large business ventures, saying tha
the money did not come out of thu
pockets of the directors, but came
from borrowing money on bonds anC
that county commissioners only
asked to be allowed to do the SANE
thing. He said the only thing tha
the people of Polk county lacked wal
confidence in themselves. He ther
cited the instance of the faith ant
confidence of the people of another
section who did not ehsitate to bono
themselves for fifty millions and tina
their faith in the county and them
selves had been justified a Thousand
times over, as today they are the
richest community in the world, anC
have more material comforts. Ht
closed with tribute to the Kath
leen district that brought rounds o.
Applause from his audience.
Citrus Growers Advanced by Bonds
Commissioner Swindell, who is al
so a director of the citrus growers
association at Lakeland, told of tn,
struggle of the association to get
along with inadequate facilities il
an old clearinghouse and how at las
the directors had borrowed none.
and built modern establishment
taxing each member a small amour
per box of fruit that was packed il
the house. How that now the house
had been paid for and that the mem
bers had not felt the tax.
Today they had proposition thai
was worth easily $4,000 that haC
cost them only SIS, 200 and that they
were enabled to get more for theii
fruit than before with the new
hOuse in fact thew wera loSin,-