Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1918-08-19
ATTACK ON Ten Mile FRONT
D. A. 0'BR|EN
IN STATEMENT
PRESIDENT OF RIO GRANDE AND
PRIME MOVER IN CHANNEL PRO-
JECT DENIES OPPOSITION TO
BOND ISSUE


David A. O'Brien. president of the Rio
Grande railway and prime mover in the
| channel project has been wronyfullv auot-
ed. During the past two or three davs a
rumor has been current on the streets that
Mr.. O'Brlen was opposed To the city bond
issue which comes up for consideration to-
morrow.
Being altogether progressive such an
attitude from Mr.. O'Brien was difficult 10
understand. Friends of Mr.. OBrien and
supporters of the bond issue told Mr..
O'Brien Of the report and received his en-
phatic denial. To Herald reporte Mr..
O'Brien said:
As see it the bond election to he held
tomorrow will serve a. an acid test ap-
Piled 10 ascertain the quality and spirit of
our citizenship. Opportunity j. knocking
at our door louder than ever before and
II i Tor II 10 grant or refuse her admiS-
sion. With deep water harbor practical
~ assured. and the standard guage road
connecting Brownsville with the harbor an
absolute certainty, surely our citizens will
not fail To record their ballots for the i'm
provements % necessary to the health.
comfort and convenience of our present
population 10 say nothing Of the great in
crease certain Ia come a. soon a. the
government work j. begun on the harbor
project. Every property owner will he a
direct beneficinary the proposed improve
mentS for which the bond issue will pro-
vide and every lot in Brownsville will en-
hance In value; we will have better streets.
additional sewerage. more lights, purer
water IN abundance, a cleaner, more spa
cIous and more attractive market. meat
which we can eat knowing that il j. clean,
healthiul and free from fly filth, and we
will have at least one park in which young
and old may seek and find rest. recreation
and enjoyment. And these improvements
can be made without the immediate expen-
ditnre OF single dollar by any person in
Brownsville. The money realized from the
sale Of the bonds will come from outside
and the greater portion Of it will be spent
IN the city, finding its way into every
branch Of trade and commerce. In re-
| turn for the proposed improvements prop
erty owners will be required to pay slight
increase in taxes but surely there j.. not a
citizen IN Brownsville who would object
to this. N considering this matter we
should bear in mind that unless the con
templated improvements are made we can
not expect the government to rebuild Fort
Brown or reestabish n an army post
here; neither must we expect or hone for
increased business or a larger population.
There Il nothing 10 the argument that
the proposed improvements should be
passed up until after the next Liberty
Loan has been put over or until after the
war i ended. The bond issue could not
possibly interfere with the Liberty Loan
since IT does not call for the immediate
payment Of single dollar ~ any citizen
of Brownsville, and If the municipal bond
buyers do not invest in Brownsville bonds
they VIII invest IN some other city Issue of
bonds. Voting the bond issuc will not ure-
vent Us winning the war, a. some few have
suggested, any more than the numerous
bond ISSUES voted throughout the country
from the Atlantic 10 the Pacific and the
Great Lakes TO the Gulf since the war
started. will prevent the winning of The
war; These arguments against the bond
issue are excuses being used by those whv
are opposed to anything that sayors of
i progress and those who do not wish 4.
f make known their real reasons for hold.
| ing back the development and growth OF
u Brownsville. Everyone has perfect
right to his own opinion but am sure thai
much of the opposition would vanish II IN.
opponents would give the matter that seri.
II Gus thought and consideration IL merits
1t j. too important a matter to be handled
I lightly by any citizen for the opportunit,
i here to demonstrate our confidence II
our home city, to emphasize our faith il
lts future and to show the outside worls
that we have reached the decision to can.
italize our great natural advantages ane
prepare Brownsville TO take her plac,
among the great commercial centers of tn,
country.
We must either go BACKWARD or forward
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