The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-05-04
The Road Bonds
From A Farmers
Standpoint

To the Good Roads Association anC
Bond advocates:
Gentlemen:
In response to Mr.. HetheringtOn's
wishes that the opponents of the
bond issue might come out in the
open, | ask him to publish not only
my name, but my reasons, also. II
is only justice that both sides OF
the proposition be heard.
Mr. Hetherington calls it 1.-THE
most progressive measure Polk coun-
ty has been called upon to adopt for
several years part" | believe this
is substantially what he said regard
ing the bond issue of a few years
ago.
owing to the ignorance of the
taxpayers, the other bond issue was
defeated" The truth is the "ignor-
ant taxpayer" could read graft in
every line and they were too we'll
acquainted with those behind the
scheme. We realize the present
measure is being conducted along
different lines and is apparently
free from graft; but the old bond
issue has left bad taste in the
mouth.
Let us analyze your arguments
one by one:
81 understand you are opposed to
good roads"
You are mistaken, sir. believe
every farmer in Polk county is heart
lily in favor of good roads-not only
200 miles but as many more as are
needed. But we want them built
by sane methods instead of reckless
extravaganza. A good roads advocate
is one thing and bond advocate is
another.
The money from these bonds will
be perfectly safe. 1t will all be
handled by board of bond trustees
and the county commissioners will
have nothing to do with it,"
Are you so afraid of our Commits
sioners, or are you trying to bam-
boozle the voters into a sense OF Sc
curity? We have a chance to Sc
lect our commissioners; but how do
we know what the board of trustees
will be composed of? What is there
to prevent deal between the
trustees and the contractors? And
what is there to prevent worthless
material being used? Please answer
these very important questions.
Just look at the horrid condition
of our roads and the taxes that has
been squandered.
You bet we do and we don't like
it any better than you.
But who's to blame and why con-
tinue such waste? If good roads
was the only question, every farmer
in Polk county would be with you.
IF our commissioners ever put an
other bit of mud in our roads, let S
all rise up and kick them out of the
county.
Its good business policy to build
these roads now so we can have the
use of them"
Yes, you will have the use of
these roads" and that is all. You
have appropriated all the taxes You
expect for the next % years to pay
the bond-holderS, so there will be
nothing left to build new roads or
even repair the old ones.
Business men and farmers are
doing the same thing every day"
Yes, and we can all recall more
than one instance where men have
gone recklessly in debt and busted
ut can be done without increas-
ing our taxes one cent"
Rats! 1t may not raise the mill
lage, perhaps, but listen;
THE extra money will be obtained
from the enhanced value of property
lying along these improved roads. "
That's the point. You intend to
make the people in the rural sec
tions pay the difference. The taxes
on automobiles are fixed. The man
who has a thousand dollars invested
in car will continue to pay the
same taxes though he wears out the
road twenty times faster than the
farmer. But the man who invests a
thousand dollars in small farm
, will be compelled to pay, perhaps,
several times more. And these en-
hancements of value will really al
feet only those along the improved
roads, while it will actually decrease
the market value of property lying
farther back Mr. Rich comes down
e. from the North to invest in land and
5 Mr.. Smith offers him a farm half a
mile from the hard road for $10C
per acre. Rich looks as the sand il
) front of the house and he forthwith
) goes and buys a few acres of $4,000
land on Nabob avenue Oh, yes! Yol
are fixing to sort us in fine shape
New settlers will come here il