Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1920-05-06
Oxford lafayette County, Mss. Thursday, May 8, 1920


FIRST MEETING OF IMPROVE
MENT BOND COMMISSION
The Improvement Bond Commits
sion created by the act authorizing
the issuance Of some four and half
millions Of bonds for buildings, equip
ment and repairs. met this morning
to the call of the Governor.
The Commissi0n consists of Governor
Russell. Ex-O -Officio Chairman, Attor-
ney- General Frank Robertson, who is
Ex-Offic.o ccacretary, Insurance Com
missioner T. M. Henry, Lieut.. Gov
crnor Casteel, Speaker Conner, Sena-
tors Kyle and McCallum, and Messrs.
Bailey and Stone. All members were
present. This was the first meeting
of the commission and was for the
chief purpcse of outlining a mode OF
procedure for future work.
The most important action of the
commission wasthe decision to issue
Immediately $3.50, 10000 of bonds for
the purpose Of saaking repairs at the
various state institutions. This was
canvassed, and the neces-
sity for prompt action developed dur
ing the discussion. It was realized
that if the states property is to be
taken care of and further damage
and deterioration prevented the issu-
ance of bonds to take care of these
repairs was an absolute necessity. 1t
should be noted in this connection
that the general support funds for
the institutions this year include no
thing whatever to rcnairs. When
the Legislature realized the magni-
tude of the total Of these repair items
it very wisely determined to provide,
for them in -connection with the
building prograiM and placed them
under the contr0i of tie building
commission. The action taken to-
day speaks the unanimous decision Of
the commission To use their author
ity in this regard as their first of
fetal action.
It may be reffaai ked in this connec-
ton that a referendum on this bill,
as has been sugp ested in some quar-
ters. would simpis render impossible
any such repairs, imperative though
it may be, as vel as tying up the
building program as whole.
Your correspondent is now in posi-
ton to clear up some more or less
confused points with reference to the
bill which has excited such general
discussion. Contrary to popular i'm
preston, the bill does not instruct the
commission to enter upon any whole
sale five million dollar building pro
iect." Quite the contrary. 1t does
not even authorize any such hastily
considered action. It does not make
mandatory the issuance of any bonds
whatever, nor the letting of any con-
tracts, not the construction of any
buildings. These items and the ap,
preparations made for them are all
left absolutely to the discretionary
authority OF the commission. which
is made the isaA al tlaOIity in the
premises. The bill, in fact, surrounds
the issuance of bonds and the expen-
diture of funds with numerous care
fully worked-out safeguards and res
trictions. Under it's terms, no con-
tracts can be let in excess OF the funds
appropriated. Thus every PROJECT
must be completed with the money IN
hand and instead of being merely
begun and depending on completion
for appeals to future Legislatures
for additional appropriations. The
cannot even contract for
building until after it has carefully
investigated the matter OF the neces-
sity and wisdom of it's erection.
Nothing was done in the matter Of
retaining supervisor and architect
other than asking Mr.. Theodore
Link of st. Louis to meet the COM
mission at some future date.
With view to future procedure
the commission decided to ask the
head of each institution in the state
for a careful statement as to the -rela-
tive Importance of the several lea
lures of each proposed act OF improve
ments. This information will be
used in determining what part OF
each project will be first undertaken,
so as to insure the wisest and most
useful expenditure of the proceeds OF
such bonds as the commission may IS
sue from time to time at the same
time avoiding expenditures not abso-
lutely necessary.
Because of the urgent need of addl-
tional quarters at the Tubercular Hos
pital at Magee, it was thought that
possibly the commission would rem
der some aid at this institution, in
order that the large number OF un-
fortunate people now suffering with
in the state might be
cared for. However, this matter was
not taken up because OF the determl-
nation to proceed with the utmost
care and deliberation and to secure
AL possible information as to the
needs Of all the state institutions be-
fore determining definite allotments
to any of them. tits expected at
some time it will be required for the
commission to work out this scheme
but it will be necessary to do so in
order to get the largest and most
helpful returns from the money ex-
pended.
There seems to be universal APP
proval of the membership of the
commission, composed as it is of a
number of the States leading mem
men in whom the entire people
thoroughly rely. The people OF the
state may have the full assurance
that these men will spend every dol
lar Of this money only after due IN
vestigation anc consideration.
us know what you are willing to DO