Bogalusa enterprise and American. (Bogalusa, La.) 1918-19??, 1918-08-15

There are a good many counties
in Alabama and in southeastern Mis-
sissippi and a few parishes in the
State u Louisiana which were rich
in timber resources. Non-residents
were the owners. They came with
great deal Of business energy and
push and soon cut and manufactured
all this timber wealth, and pulled up
their tram roads and abandoned
their min properties, and mill sites,
and left the country a desolate waste
with nothing but tree tops and
stumps and abandoned shacks and
sawmill sites to admonish and re-
mind the native residents of the
country Of lost opportunity.
Whether OF not the owners of this
timber wealth in these counties and
parishes were willing to be taxed to
build good roads during the time was
being manufactured into lumber, we
do not know, but we are rather of
the opinion that they naturally ex-
pected that the home people or res
ident people would take the initia-
tive with the view of putting in these
substantial improvements, and il
they neglected to take such initiative
tit is cerSpinly not to be expected
that the owners Of the timber, who
live in other parts Of the country,
would do SO any more than if you
owned skyscraper in New York
City and Lived in Louisiana would
take the initiative IN a move to levy
taxes in New York City to build
streets and schools there.
Therefore, we are especially fa-
yored in Washington parish in the
fact that the Great Southern Lumber
lCo. saw fit to build their great plant
in our midst, because that VAS the
means ~ Bhic Be he @ G, II
Esailroad was brought hers Nov we
have two lines Of railroad that pass
entirely thru the parish along the
valleys of our two great rivers, the
Pearl and Bogue Chitto. This great
company built a city, the marvel of
THE whole country, which IS renown-
ed for its eleaenliness and progress
siveness and patriotism, which city
already on a fifty per cent basis car
RES an assessed valuation of more
than three millions dollars and the
City Of Bogalusa with its assessed
lvaIuation Of more three millions of
dollars, headed by Mr.. w. H. SulIi-
wan, its Mayor, who is also the chief
representative of the Great South
ern Lumber Co., is willing to join
the rest of the parish in voting
bond issue to build roads turnout
the country. So, if we neglect to
vote the taxes now when we are
given this opportunity, what excuse
will we have in days to come when
our children and posterity come on
to realize that the timber is all gone
and nothing left to show that it was
used at the proper time toward the
improvement of the country where
it grew.
Another farmer was heard to say.
= am against the road tax because
I am afraid the Police Jury viii
waste the money" In answer to
this question, wish to state that the
Police jury met on Tuesday, August
18th. and named . Citizens Commit
tee, whose duty It viii be to handle
the road furds and supervise me
construction Of the proposed roads
and that the people when they vote
ION the tax on the 9th of August
win be given an opportunity them
selves at the polls to indorse this
committee or to name committee
which viii take the place Of the one
named BIZ the Police Jury.
"Wen SAYS one. II am afraid the
COMMITTEES win waste the money and
furthsf than that, | think we wasted
some money on the roads alread :. q
70 such one we would suggest that
they ask themselves this question
Have che people Of Washington
pa-ish, and when we say the people
Of Washington parish that includes
every individual IN 1t, got sense
enough and business foresight
enough to hEild Substantial roads
land highways a not? Are we, ana
are you and an !, who object on
these grounds, willing to sit down
aid say that I or you or we have got
lfss sense as a people than the peo-
h 9 Of neighboring counties and par
isIes and states and countries which
Iafe building and have builded nod