Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1919-03-04
BOND ELECTION
TO PAVE ROADS
GREETED With
ENTHUSIASM
Farmers Practically Solid for Propo-
sal, Says F. W. Griffin,
Planter

Great enthusiasm is being shown on
every hand today over the decision of
the board of county commissioners to
call an election for April 2 to vote a
bond issue of 100000, to match IAN
equal amount to be given by the gov
ernment, for the construction of per-
manent paved highways in. Sumter
county.
"It is one of the greatest steps that
Sumter county has ever taken,'s said
Fletcher W. Griffin, we'll known pro-
gressive farmer and former member
Of the legislature from this county.
81 don't think there is the slightest
doubt about the issue going through
and the quicker the farmers can
vote on it, the better.
s.The farmers are tired of throwing
their money away by putting it into
dirt roads. We have had a demon
stration this winter of what dirt roads
mean. The farmers are sick of mud
holes and they are ready to vote for
bonds for permanent roads. Mind you
they wouldn't do it if the proposition
was to vote bonds for dirt roads, but
they have got enough this time, and
want their road problem solved for
all time.
II am a farmer and 1 am tired of
paying out special road tax money ev-
cry year, and getting nothing for it.
But am for these permanent high
way bonds, and l believe SO per cent
of the farmers feel the same way about
it. At least all whom 1 have talked
to feel that way. ~Of course there will
be one here and there who will be
against the bonds. There are ALWAYS
a few kickers and knockers who are
against every progressive move pro-
posed. / am a farmer and I know
the farmers, and the farmers can he
depended upon this time to vote for
permanent highway bonds-especially
when the government is going to give
outright a dollar for every dollar we
vote. 1t is just like finding that halt
million of government money, and if
we do not take it. some other Georgia
county will take it-or the money will
be forever forfeited back to the fed
eral treasury, as I understand it.
You find movements like this per-
manent highway movement usually 20
over the whole country at the same
time The permanent roads movement
is sweeping over the entire country
right now, and the counties that are
not awake enough to get in on it will
suffer; they'll be left entirely behind
But l know Sumter county, and
know the farmers; l know they can
be depended upon absolutely. There
are no two sides to this permanent
roads proposition. We've got to build
paved roads into the country.
Il was talking to one man this
morning from the country who SAID
that he would vote for the bonds il
the county board would pave the road
past his farm. Now that is all wrong
l told him that we couldn't all he on
the paved road at first; that we had tc
have beginning someWhere; that We
would all profit because we could use
the paved roads most of the way from
our farms to the markets, anyway, and
the building of paved roads would en-
able the county to keep the side roads
worked so well that there would be a
vast Improvement over present condi-
tions."
An example of the cost of the kind
of roads existing in Sumter county
was cited in the statement of Henry