The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1917-04-23
SENATOR COUGH ANSWERS
ROAD BOND ENQUIRIES

Has No Axe to Grind in Advocating
ANY Bond Issue-Fails to See How
ANY One Can Object to the Clark
Bili-Again Advises That No Vote
be Cast in Favor of His Local Bill
Passed Early in Session OF Legs
laturc
To the Editor of The Robesonian:
Having received numbers of letters
on the bond issue question, and be-
lieving the people as whole are IN
terested in the same lines OF thought,
I take please in printing my reply:
Difference in Taxes
I am asked why l reject my own
bill and advocate, the State bill, and
what will be the increase in taxes,
if any.
Answer. My own bill and nv rea--
sons have heretofore been explained
several times. My bill simply allow
ed the people to vote on whether or
not they wanted bonds on themselves
for good roads purposes. If they did
this, at the end of forty years they
would have to pay the principle or
amount of the issue. At the end OF
Al years under the Clark bill the
bonds drawing the same interest OF
five per cent will have paid them
selves and the county will owe moth
ing. The reason is plain; any one
can See it.
Taxes. There should be no increase
whatever over the amount you now
pay. You are paying for road pur-
poses q cents on the 500. My road
law repealed the Fl cent rate, which
is no longer~a law, and made reduc-
ed rate of Is cents. To this you
will add the five per cent interest on
the bonds. Inasmucn as we get the
funds in installments of $4,000 per
year, and property in Robson coun-
ty will never get lower, l see no rea-
son for anv increase, but for the
first several years l do see how taxes
could be reduced, the road law pro,
viding that the chain gang be hired
to the contractors building roads, and
all road work must be done, not as
heretofore, by day labor, but by con-
tract only.
;. Representatives Acting Fair
IT'S not the desire of your Senator
and representative to put anything
over on the people. We have acted
absolutely open, fair and square on
every measure. We could have pass
ed bond bill without submitting the
same to the people. This was done
in many instances, but long ago l
read that taxation without represent
alton was not Democratic. l have no
more interest in this matter than l
think all other citizens should have.
If we can get money-and we can
without burdening ourselves and our
children l see no reason why we
should not vote against my local bill
on the 7th of May and vote for the
Clark bill on the 8th
How Will the Money Be Spent?
/ answer plainly, 1 do not know. I
shall not handle single dime of the
money. The spending is up to you
and the men you are to elect on Mon
day, May 7th. You must select and
elect five road commissioners. If you
say the funds will be mis-spent, you
simply discount the men of your own
choosing. l have no suggestions.
Any good men will suit me. I be-
lieve We have as good men as any
other county in North Carolina, and
since the adjourning of the Legisla-
ture the following counties, which had
passed local measures have done as
/ have advised: rejected their local
bill, advocate and will vote on the
9Th of May, under the Clark act,
namely: Avery, Wayne, Pitt, Bladen,
Surry, Ashe, Onslow, Fender, Wau-
tauga and possibly others.
Not a Lumberton Game
Some uniformed have told me this
was a kind of Lumberton game,
/ pardon their ignorance. IT'S a
Statewide measure and North Caro-
lima is not putting "shams" over on
her citizenship. regret that thrusts
are made at your county capital when
ever questions of progress are
strongly advocated, eminating from
here. Had l been selfish 1 would not
have cut the county into districts
IN order that in the future every sec.
ton should be represented in it's af-
fairs. Under the new road law, ev-
cry section must get it's proportion
ate sum based on it's property val
uation. ] believe the men you elect
will see to it that this is done.
Not a Political Measure
Some Republicans have charged
the bond issue as being Democratic
scheme for the purpose of building
up a Democratic machine. To these
"thoughtless"? 1 would say, every
Republican in the Legislature votet
UGH ACID STOMACH,
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