The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1918-05-02
THURSDAY, MAY 2, 1918.
Burning a Hole In the Pocket


"Now when Jack has had his pay;
He's the gayess of the gay,
For money in his pocket burns a
hole.
Far be it from US to suggest that any
Kenosha county governing organiza-
ton would spend the money of the tax
payers like drunken sailor' but
the easy path Of recent nine thous-
and dollar appropriation through the
county board would suggest that the
money in the county 5 pocket is begin
ming to smoke a little and that if
some warning signal is not hung out
petty soon that it may burn the pro-
verbal hole.
This appropriation would indicate
that possibly a lot Of the members of
the board had failed to get fully into
the spirit of conservation which is so
necessary for the well fare of the ma
ton at that time. The nine thousand
dollar appropriation was to tack an
other half mile of concrete pavement
onto the Mil vaukee road in the town
Of Pleasant Prairie.
Now we have no objection to the
improving Of roads in the town of
Pleasant Prairie so long as the people
Of Pleasant Prairie show willingness
and little pep and ginger in digging
down in their own pockets and provd-
ing a goodly share Of the money for
such appropriations but with the pres
ent condition ,of affairs and the nation
bleeding for the lack Of every cent it
can raise we are Of the opinio~ that a
nine thousand dollar appropriation just
to extend a road is something that
should have had lot more considera-
ion that this appropriation did. A lot
~ people can remember that a county
board was accustomed to spend weeks
arguing over five thousand dollar
appropriation, but these were the DAYS
Eefore ''Jack lad had his pay We
are just a little fearful that the coun-
ty board is not going to be able to
stand prosperity and that if some one
does not call a halt that the money in
its pocket is going to burn hole. Ke-
nosha people are not begrudging the
county the sixty thousand dollars in
real money paid over out Of the in
come tax collected in the city or the
six hundred dollars, or maybe little
more which came from the income taxes
In the rural towns. The people how
ever do believe that this money should
be spent with consideration and Judge
ment.
Nine thousand dollars would pay
for the mess of one Of Kenosha IS com
panies of soldiers at the front for
full six months. Expended for this
half mile of road it will bring con
venience to few people. The county
should provide FOR one complete and
permanent road running North and
South through the county and if pos
sible for one completed road running
east and west. Tt should at the least
possible expense make cross roads lead4
ing to this main improved road pas
sable so as tor aid the people in bring
ing their products to market but to
spend money for road frills or to meet
toe convenience of few property own
ers at this time is decidedly unneces-
ssry and we believe decidedly unpa-
triotic.
It's mighty good thing to have
money in the County Treasury or in
any other treasury If there is not
an immediate demand for this money
the county Board should find way
to hurry to the banks at the earliest
possible time and make an effort to
set every dollar of surplcus it has
working for the government. 1t may
be said that the board has no right
to invest in Liberty Loan bonds but
We should like to see the man who is
going to object to this investment.
What we want now is not roads for
convenience of few people but food
to sustain and put fighting pep into
men on a battle line who are fighting
great battle for us. The men who
compose public boards are the men
who are expected to stand out as a
patriotic example to other people just
at present, They are the men who are
expected to practice economy in their
public life even if they are forget
full of it in their private life. The
County Board should rescind its action
or this appropriation and shoul keep
away from all similar appropriations
in the future until after the war is
over. Without wars to pay for it
doesn It matter so much if money
burns hole in the pocket of county
But with cruel war starring one in the
face these sort Of expenditures weaken
the faith Of the people in the govern
ment and they weaken the chances of
the government Of having that support
that it should
Let convenience and frills wait IN
til after the stern necessities have been
full met.