The Robesonian., 1917-04-30
ROAD BOND ISSUE
Some Figures Submitted-Anotherl {
Way Suggested


Wav Suggested
To the Editor of The Robesonian:
Having noted that the columns of !
your paper were open for discussion
of the road bond issues, T. am writ
ing to state my views. I am not op-
posed to bond issues or borrowing
money, and selling bonds is only a.
way of borrowing: When a thing is
needed and funds are not available
with which to pay with, then bond
issue is the proper way of getting
the "wherewith''. Senator Cough is
advising the voters to vote against
his bond proposition because it will
come too high, and advises every vot-
er to vote for the bonds under the
Clarke bill, which will enable the
county to bet $4,000 a year for six
years, total of $480,0OO. If these
bonds are voted we will have to pay
5 per cent interest, which will amount
to $4,000 per year, which in Al years
will amount to S984,000. Is this a
bargain or is it dream of finance?
For every dollar we pay we get forty
nine and a fraction cents, and all
that will not go to the roads, for the
pay of the commissioners and sup
erintendent will have to come out
before the money actually goes on
the roads.
| If the commissioners will meet 25
times during the year (and they can
| if the chairman will call the meet
ing), drawing their pay and per diem
for one meeting a month, then their
pay with that Of the superintendent
will cut the amount to go on the
roads below 81 cents for each dollar
paid. Who thinks it a bargain to
pay 81 for 81 cents? If there was
no other way to raise the money, l
believe it would pay to do this in or
der to get good roads in the coun-
ty, but there is another way. If thu
levy for roads was placed at As cents
; on the $1O0 valuation it would bring
in $81, ,426 each year, figuring that a
21 cent levy brought in $4,000 last
year. That may sound unreasonable
but number Of our schools have a
As cent levy now. If this was done
for six years (then reduce it to what
will keep up the roads) We would save
the difference between $480,0O0
and $984,OOO which would be
! s5O4,0O0, or a saving Of $4,000
per year, and at the end of SIX
years we would be out of debt
The statement that if the bonds are
voted taxes will be lower and that
a Is cent levy will be sufficient, is
absurd and misleading. That would
bring in between $1,000 and $685..
900 each year. At the end of six
years when the $48O,OO is spent, af-
ter paying interest on bonds, there
would only be about $4,000 per yea1
|. for keepino up all the roads anG
bridges in the county. Taxes will Of
: necessity be higher, because if they
were raised at the old rate of 21 cents
there would only be $4,000 for up.
keep. Any sane person knows thai
will not be sufficient.
We have been told by the wise me1
Of Lumberton that all the road law:
: that we have had were N. G., Wha
guarantee have we that this one i.
all right? Only the fact that a. Ium
herton lawyer wrote it. ga
Since all our numerous road-law
proved failures, / think it would b,
q wise to experiment with this. one TO
two years before we go so far i
u debt that it will take forty years t.
! get out.
GEORGE KLARPP
. Shannon, N. C.
! April oath, 1917.
q (Mr. Klarpp's figures are interest
/ ing, but it seems to The Robesonial
q that he has overlooked figuring i
some important items. His sugges
g ton of a road tax sufficient to rails
i $4,000 year for 6 years is inter
y esting, but of course out of the ques
T tion. The people are not going t
9 vote on themselves any such tax
f and besides, the tax would have t
be go cents instead of As, in orde
;, to give $80,00O-in round numbers
k for building roads and provide a fun
i for maintenance. Mr.. Klarpp start
= r. out with the assertion that he is nc
opposed to bond issues or borrowin
l. money, and then figures himself q
~ opposed to the most advantageou
Il plan for bond issue that ever ha
= been proposed. With a bond issu
under the old plan the county woul
hardly be able to borrow money 8
8 less than per cent and in additio