Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1916-03-16
Indications Now Point to the
Success Of the Proposition
With Votes to Spare.
RUNNING DOWN CAMPAIGN REPORTS
Grand Jury to Investigate and
Report on Charges Of Ex-
travagance and Graft.

The close of the campaign for good
roads finds the situation much more
encouraging than it was month ago.
Opposition to the proposed bond issue
has steadily grown less and it is now
believed to be practically assured that
the proposition will have safe ma
iority.
The supporters of the proposition
are redoubling their efforts to en-
courage sentiment for the bond issue
in this last week. Speakers are be-
ing sent to every neighborhood in the
county, open air meetings are being
held here in town each town. There
will be a big final rally at the Taber-
nacle Friday night and the papers are
being kept full of matter. On the
other hand, a close organization OF
the county has been perfected and
there will be workers at each Of the
thirty-two precincts all day Saturday
who will put in the last ticks possible
in behalf of the proposition.
From present indications it is be-
lieved the bond issue will carry by a
safe majority. The determined OPP
position which for time threatened
the project seriously has disappeared
to very large extent under the en-
thusiastic campaign which has been
waged. Democrats and republicans
have jointly endorsed the proposition
/ and everything has been worked on
bipartisan basis. A commission OF
eight men, four republicans and four
democrats, and all of them residents
of the county, has already been APP
pointed to have charge of the road
funds if the proposition carries.
The negro voters have rallied to
the proposition very largely since
they have been convinced that con-
vict labor is not to be employed on
the roads if they are built. AS long
as the negroes thought cOnvicts would
do the work and they would get moth
ing out of it, they opposed it. But
now that the fiscal. court, the eight
commissioners and the supporters
generally of the proposition have de-
clared they would not favor the en-
ployment of convicts, the negroes
have changed their attitude.
There are at present PIG miles OF
pike in the county and it is estimated
it will take about $1,000 per mile to
reconstruct this. If this proves true
it will leave about $500, 900 for build
ing new pixies which, it is estimated,
should build about forty to fifty miles.
All of the work will be done under
state aid.
County Attorney Ira d. Smith has
ordered a full investigation by the
grand jury, now in session, of re-
ports spread broadcast through the
county that past road funds had been
wasted and even grated. Mr.. Smith
INSTRUCTED the grand jury to summon
the officials and those who had been
spreading the reports and sift the
matter thoroughly, make report OF
their findings and indict parties
should testimony indicate any were
Iguilty. Tuesday the county officials
turned over to the grand jury the
books of the county, together with
warrants for money paid out on road
Improvements. The officials and
members of the fiscal court say
the charges are untrue and malicious,
and they do not propose to sit quiet
ly and let them go unchallenged.