Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1920-10-26

paying dollar for dollar of their cost
or do they wish the state to come in
and build these roads and only contri-
butte about one dollar out of every five
dollars, and nothing from county taxes
for their maintenance. Under the
present plan the county will be requir-
ed to maintain these highways in an
up-to-date way, having to fulfill the
requirements specified not only by the
State Highway Departments but by
the Road Department of the United
States Government. These depart
ments contribute aid for the construc-
ton of these roads, with the strict un-
Outstanding that they be maintained
and kept up, subject to their approx
al. Therefore you can rest assured
that the state and governmental au-
thorities will require Jefferson County
to raise a sufficient amount of money
to properly maintain these roads in
the most up-to-date manner.
With traffic increasing from twenty
to fifty per cent annually, you can
readily see that the cost of mainten-
ance viii be increased rather than de-
creased as the years go by. At the
present time under the law YOU have
the right to levy a twenty-five cent
tax for Class A roads. This under the
new plan will be eliminated as the en-
tire amount will be raised by gaso-
line tax, increases in motor license fees
or a direct property tax. If a direct
property tax not more than twenty
cents will be added to the tax rate,
which will make saving to the peo-
pie of Jefferson County of five cents
on their tax rate plus the annual cost
to maintain these highways amounting
to not less than thirty-five thousand
dollars yearly.
AS one, Mr.. Editor, who has had a
small part constructing and maintain
ing system of state highways, | feel
that | am justified in saying to the
people of my native county that they
Will be making grave mistake il
they do not vote for this proposed
change of the constitution. IF vou
cannot trust the officials of your state
and the members of your Legislature
you are acknowledging before the
world that you cannot trust yourself
for we must realize that the officials
OF the state of West Virginia and the
members of the Legislature are oul
own neighb'ors and friends, and there
fore if they are not men of integrity
and honesty and of the proper calibe1
you have neglected year duty towards
the public welfare, in not seeing that
a higher and better class of men were
elected. There is no personal duty
greater than the duty that we owe tc
the public welfare of our country
state, and county, and therefore we
should see that we do our part. and il
we do our part honestly and fearlessly
we will always find we have nothing
to fear. In my contact with men
have always tried to believe and have
found it almost universally so-hat my
brother man is just as honest as | am
and | do not believe the people OF
West Virginia are of a lower calibel
than those of other states or have they
q lower sense of public duty. There
fore, Mr.. Editor, as a native of Jeffer-
son County, cannot but raise nv voice
in protest against such reflections cast
upon the integrity, ability and honesty
OF people who have to their credit a
list of accomplishments that are the
envy of many. When such accusations
are made we are indulging in destruc-
tive criticism rather than constructive
criticism, and the men who allows such
statements to go unchallenged is not
good citizen or worthy to be consid-
cred in deciding such an Important
question as will come before the peo-
pie on November End.
|, therefore, trust, Mr.. Editor, that
the voters of the good old county of
jefferson, a county rich in history and
fertility, located where the sunlight
bathes its hills and wales from the
crest of the Blue Ridge in early morn
until the golden sun sets behind the
Alleghenys at evening tide, land and
a county, that should excel; ratify this
proposed change thereby leaving the
county funds to take care of the other
county roads This will mean adj
vancement and prosperity, but if we
withhold our approval a great burden
will be placed on the taxpayers of the
county.
Therefore, I trust that everyone will
give this question most serious thought
and vote in the affirmative on Novem-
Der End.
Very sincerely yours,
HENRY G.. SHIRLEY.