Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1919-07-25
HON. v. |. LONG
replies TO ARTICLE OF
Mr.. A. PAUL KITCHIN

To The People of Halifax County
Supplementing the analysis Of
the Halifax County road laws
which will be submitted to the
vote of the people of the County
on Tuesday, the 9Th day of Aug
ust next, made and published by
Mr.. Darden, Mr.. Taylor and my
self for your information, and
replying to the objections raised
in the public press by Messrs. A,
Paul Kitchin and Jno. P. Futrell.
wish to reiterate that | earnest.
ly believe that it will be a ire.
mendous step forward in the
progress of our County if this
election carries in favor of the
road bonds and the proposed
changes in our public road ad.
ministration, and | am confident
that the progressive and intelli.
gent people of Halifax County
will approve this bond issue and
these new laws by favorable
vote in this special election.
If the election carries, the
County, will, OF course, have to
pay the interest on the new
bonds as they may be issued up
to $500, 10000 worth, and on the
bonds of the townships outstand-
ing at present, which amount to
about $3.50, 100000. The borrow
ing of money and the paying of
interest thereon to make public
improvements, and to expand
private business when it is done
for sensible and legitimate pur-
poses, is the very basis Of the
structure of our economic life,
both private and public. Practi-
cally every improved road worthy
of the name that has been built
in the United States, has been
built by means of a bond issue.
A principle that is so universal
and has stood tie test of exper-
ience, can not well not be attack
ed.
To offset the interest charge
for the borrowed money; we
have the decreased cost of trans
portation, wear and tear of We
hicles, the saving of time, and
the increased value of property.
| saw just the other day where
the United States Department of
Roads had studied the experien-
ces of one county that had voted
a bond issue to build good roads
over the county, and had found
that in dollars and cents, in the
first year after the construction
of the roads in the saving in
transportation cost, wear and
tear of vehicles, and time Of
laborers engaged in transporta-
tation, the people of the county
had saved in one year an amount
equal to the entire bond issue.
The only reason any man is
opposed to a bond issue is be-
cause he does not desire to pay
the taxes necessary to pay the
interest on, and retire the prin-
cipal of the bonds. If no tax
had to be levied for this purpose
nobody would object to issuing
bonds. cannot, therefore, un-
derst' nd the argument in favor
of raising the tax rate now to a
sufficient amount to build our
roads and pay as we go. 1t
seems to be much more sensible
and much more just that the sue
ceeding years, which will see
our prosperity continue and our
taxable property increase, should
pay a part of the cost of a sys-
TEN of good roads that will be
undoubtedly one of the chief in.
struments of that prosperity.
The last Legislature did not
pass an act for Halifax County,
authorizing an increase of the
road tax to fifty cents, as was
stated in the article by Mr.. Kitch.
in. The bill was introduced
and passed the House, but il
was so late in the session before
it was done that it failed to pass
its third roll call in the Senate
before the adjournment of the
Legislature. Our ability to tax
remains, therefore, exactly the
same as it formerly was, and is
totally inadequate to provide
even for the maintenance, lei
alone the building of any system
of good highways. Unless this
bond issue carries, and the tax.
power incident thereto is ap.
proved by the vote of the people
your highway commission and
your taxes will be just where
they are now, and we will re.
main in the mud until we become
disgusted and by our votes SUBJ
stitute a rational road tax for the
irrational and more expensive
mud TAX that we now pay. Un'
der the general state road law
passed by the last Legislature,
the State Highway Commission
out of the funds derived by the
| Cto+o nc d;ot;not from tho Coun