The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-05-20
GOOD ROADS BOOSTERS
CAPTURED anti MEETING;
UPSET PLANS MADE FOR
QUIET LOVE FEAST
BY E. A. Moreno.)

good roads, among the many that have
occurred, was capturing of quiet
ly planned anti.bond meeting at Brad
ley junction last night by the good
roads speakers of the Polk County
Good Roads Association.
So carefully had the plans been laid
by the anti-bond men that the pre-
cinct workers of the good road boos-
ter, when in that section yesterday
had not heard inkling of what was
going to transpire and it was not I'M
til late in the afternoon that growing
careless. the information leaked out
of a meeting to be held at the school
house there. At once the trusty tel.
ephone was requisitioned and in a
short space autos were whizzing and
humping over the weavy roads that
lead to the metropolis of southwest
ern Polk.
AS car after car rolled up before the
school house door, surprise, then con-
sternation was depicted on the faces
of those who had gathered to hear
the sage of Kathleen expound his oro-
tund learning and rejoice in the
swatting of the bond figures, while
telling of the burdens of toiling
masses.
But they were not to be altogether
disappointed even if he did not arrive
on schedule time as those who had the
meeting in charge had provided an
orator imported from DeSoto county
to do the spell binding. Hon. +. Sur
rency who was to be the principal
speaker of the occasion. County
Commissioner Lancaster was also
present to grace the affair.
After a little delay in waiting to
see if the learned gentlemen from
Kathleen would arrive the meeting
was at last called to order and taken
charge of by Hon. ]. o. Whidden, a
strong good roads advocate and one
of the most influential men in that
community, who stated the object OF
the meeting to be that of hearing both
sides of the momentus questions be
fore the people and introduced f. w
Surrency.
Mr.. Surrency stated that this was
his former home, but that he now
lived in another county That he was
not there to fight the bond issue. thai
it did not make any difference to hin
how they voted. He was there t.
eleucidate the question for them anC
then proceeded to tear into the bono
issue and good roads question will
all the energy of a so horse power
II cycllndered machine and make |
look like the road from Lakeland I,
Barlow He had written some law
yers at Arcadia regarding the ques
; ton and had their opinion on 1t, bu
unfortunately their opinion apple
to law entirely different from tina
under which present bond electio
is to be held and was of no force an
effect. AS an indication of the dee
thought and study that he had give
this momentus question he had to as
l his audience what was the amour
j. of the proposed bond issue, the raj
) of interest the bonds would bear an
: the term of the bonds and the nuI
IS Der of miles that it was proposed
build with the proceeds. The grea
est point he made in his speech WI
that he was opposed to bonding
it made a bad precedent among Of
young people and would lead the
D. into the borrowing habit. That Pc
County had come along this far
r years without it and did not want h
at take up this pernicious practice.
De ter reiterating the statement that
l. was opposed to bonds several time
he closed his speech.
DR. Ross was the next speaker a
IN proceeded, in courteous and me
n IOlllG W 6ilOW lut
at the error of his ways and the entire
IN erroneous idea he had in quoting
law that was null and void as appli
to the present bond issue. He tn
Ia literally and figuratively shot
TO- speech to pieces, showing the absur
ty of all the arguments advanced,
De the premises upon which they W,
predicated were entirely wrong, a
the conclusions, which may be Ri
in some other matters, were wild
divergent and beside the mark in Il
He then. for the edification of
gentlemen and those present,
planned the bond issue and the bu
ing of the roads and the many
efits that would accrue. He went
TO all the details most thoroughly ;
impressed his hearers with the
cerity and truth of his statemen
rs A. ]. Holworthy followed DIR. r
and dwelt briefly upon some of
points as to cost of the roads un
the bond system as against the pl
ent cost and upkeep. The meet
was then thrown open for any at
tions and discussion but none OF
opponents, if any were present,
advantage of the opportunity and
&c meeting was clased.