The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1920-10-15
'sTHE BETTER WAY.

better way"
It thinks that is fair proposition
and it still stands by it.
The esteemed Tampa Tribune pro-
poses as a better way that each
county build its own roads. To do
our esteemed contemporary no injus-
tice we publish in full what is says on
the subject for in the discussion of
this proposition we are certainly sin
cere and are endeavoring to be fair.
Frankly we confess that we do not
think the plan proposed by the Trib-
une is the better way"
We have been operating under that
system for twenty years or more land
what have we got?
Marion county has spent thousands
and thousands of dollars, and her
roads built of lime and other material
not durable, but the best she could
secure, are year after year washed
away or SO much so as not to be
classed as good roads"
And how is it with Alachua, Levy,
Citrus, Sumter and other nearby
counties ?-nothing doing.
Left to the counties if the expert
ence of the past be lesson for our
guidance we fear we shall never have
good roads at least during our lifetime.
And with us-''now is the accepted
time" Our sojourn on this terrestrial
ball is limited.
If, however, the proposed amend
ment is ratified by theI voters next
month, and the plan devised by its
advocates is adopted, We shall have
system of good roads, of the same
type, throughout the state leading
from county site to county site, con-
structed under the supervision of gov
eminent engineers and experts; roads
of given and proper width; roads
that will have no impossible barriers
causing vexation and delay; roads
without any broken links to a chain
of roads stretching across the contin-
ent and as durable and lasting as
those which Caesar built along the Ap-
plan Way; roads that it will be lux
ury to travel over and that will give
our state reputation equal to that
which California now enjoys.
And if the plan for the cost for the
construction as proposed by the advo-
Gates of the bond issue be followed the
burden will fall so lightly upon the
tax payers as scarcely to be felt.
1t will fall only on the users of the
roads and only on those who are well
enough off to travel in automobiles
and who will cheerfully bear the cost
for the benefits to be derived as they
will feel that it will be dividend-pay-
ing investment.
No mans home will be taxed, nor
his household goods, nor his horses,
hogs nor cattle, nor his stocks nor
bonds, nor his farming implements,
nor anything that is his unless he
owns and travels in an automobile
or motor truck, and then as he knows
that a gallon of gasoline will carry
him much greater distance over a
good than over bad road he will be
all too glad to pay a penny for the
difference and will look upon it as a
time saver If not a life saver.
Under this plan obtaining good
roads is so easy, so attractive, that it
seems to us if the tax payers of Flor
ida fail to grasp the opportunity they
virgins who failed to provide oil for
their lamps when they could have
done so just by exercising a little
vigilance.
For the love of Florida and its pros
perity do not let such golden oppor-
tunity slip by.
II will hasten to a glorious ending
the possibilities that lie before us.
Ii is bad business to cross bridges
before we get to them. 1t always
gets one and keeps one in a peck of
trouble. Let's have confidence in our
legislature and in the commission our
governor-elect shall appoint and not
eerct "scare-crows" and search for
mares nests" in the proposed amend /
ment
The amendment is written in the
plural and it is interpreted to mean
that the aggregate of issues shall not
exceed five per cent of the taxable
values.
Don't be frightened away from ac-
cepting so fascinating a proposition. |
A municipality. county or state
percsely like the man who sees OBJ
stacles where none exists-uever gets