The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1919-02-21

sions, attempted to increase public M
terest in the building of permanent
good roads throughout St. Francois
county. Such has been the policy of
this paper ever since the present man
agement has been in charge. In fact,
the editor is freq to admit that If he
is Crank on anything, that thing
is permanent good roads. And VIC are
proud of it. II there is any one thing
that will bridge the chasm between
success and failure, in any country
or cline, under any and every condi.
tion, that one thing is permanent good
roads.
In the past The Times has printed
articles which we feel have tended to
show that the. building Of permanent
good roads could not be exceeded as
q business investment for any COM
munity, no matter how rich, or how
poor, the surrounding country may
be. We have shown in the past that
there is a sufficient amount of money
annually "fritted away" in st. Fran
co.'s county, to the accomplishment of
absolutely no permanent betterment
of the roads, to keep up the interest
and sinking fund on million dollar
bond issue, and then have surplus
remaining. Such undeniable facts
have been presented in actual figures.
This paper has also shown, at va
rious times and in different ways,
why St. Francois county, of all the
counties in this State, should not
longer delay in making a suitable
| bond issue for permanent good roads
throughout the county. When the fact
is considered that the mining proper
ties of the county are assessed about
four-ffths of the entire county
wealth, is there any good reason, that
can be advanced by any sane individ-
ual, why there should be any further
delay in voting a suitable bond issue
for constructing roads that will be o
splendid and lasting asset to the coun.
ty. In view of the wealth that is be-
ing constantly taken from the county
by the great mining corporations, is
it more than fair that the county
should receive some lasting good fol
such loss? And The Times does MOI
believe that even the mining com
4 panies, who would have at least four
fifths of such bond issue to pay
would fight such a bond issue.
AS above indicated, 1t is difficult t.
imagine q better investment than. il
money equitably invested in perma
nent good roads. Such roads (and w
now have in mind highways of thu
highest possible quality would imme
diately enhance the value of ever.
acre of land in St. Francois county t.
at least double its present value. Oh
such a basis, which is not in tn
least overdrawn, would not such al
enormous increase in the price o
farm property pay enormous dividend
to the owners of land, even though tn
land were to be assessed to pay tn
entire bond issue? But the land own
ers (excepting the mineral lands
. would have but very small part o
such bond issue to pay. In fact ther
; would be no need of any increased as
; sessment to pay off such bond issue
for the simple reason, as above stat
, , ed, there is. now being annually eX
pended on roads in this county NOR
than enough. to keep up the interes
and sinking fund to retire million
dollar bond issue. a. -
! While there, is no figures obtainabl
to substantiate such an assertion, tn
Times is convinced that the wear an
tear on automobiles, horse-fesh, wae
ons, buggies and all kinds of road vc
hicles and motor power also amount
to enough to retire a million do
i T.. de- i,
added assistance. In fact, no matte
!, from what angle the road question
> looked at, the matter ultimately mus
resolve itself into this conclusion
Good roads is the best investment
which any community can invest; ba
. roads are the most expensive hand
! cap from which any community ca
. !, suffer.
The fact that st. Francois count
! already has better roads than most {
! the counties in Missouri is no excus
I for delaying a general and thoroug
! ! improvement of every public road
the county. The Times believes, frol
!, expressions heard from promineI
= citizens from all parts Of the count,
! that the time has arrived when IL
= people have become thoroughly avail
: and alive to the inestimable value I
!. good roads, and that they are no
!, ready and willing to vote for a sui
able bond issue to "pull" the roads I
: out of the mud for all time to com
! OF course call for such bond iss,
would have to include carefully draw
: specifications as to just how Il
:. money from such bond issue is
y be spent, so that no section or cor
= munity in the county could in any VIZ
Ibe overlooked or legislated. agains
The entire transaction must be abs
d lutely open and above-board. Wi
!; such a plan adopted, The Times
; willing to risk its judgment that SUI
n proposition would be voted by
e lsplendid majority.
IS In conversation with The Times m,
I. the first Of this week, w. A. Mitche
2 Presiding Judge Of the County Coul
d stated that he, as well as Judg
Jones and Matkin, would be pleased
Ecall an election on bonding prop
= sition for permanent good roads, pf
+ viding . necessary petition was pi
ssntsd 10 them asking for such