The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1920-09-10

A"Sg afc not going 10 evolve them
selves-that is a certainty.
There may be other and better
ways 70 build them but we know
only one way-that way is by bond
ing.
The bonds OF course must be in
terest bearing-in no other way would
they be marketable.
Ways and means OF course must be
provided for the payment of the in.
terest and also for the final payment
Of the principal.
Whether the bond issue be author.
tied az the approaching election. or
whether II be postponed two years
from now. or ten years. or twenty
years. the same provisions must be
made for the payment OF the interest
and their final redemption.
There Is no other way out of it and
the longer we wait the more impera-
tive the needs will become and the
greater setback the state will re-
eeive.
We have printed the words of the
constitutional amendment to be voted
on and we repeat them here:
The Legislature shall have power
to provide for issuing State bonds
only for the purpose OF repelling in
vaslon or suppressing insurrection, or
for the purpose OF redeeming or re-
funding bonds already issued at a
lower rate Of interest. or for the pur.
pose Of acquiring. building and main
tanning throughout this State under
such regulations as may be prescrib-
ed by an act OF the Legislature; pro-
vided. that any bond issues authoriz-
ed In pursuance hereof for a system
OF good roads and bridges shall not
exceed in amount five (5) per- cent. OF
the total tar assessment of the state
at the time OF issue.'
We hope that the wording .will be
carefully studied.
According to our Interpretation the
legislature Is given under the pro-
visions OF this amendment very wide
latitude and II can provide ways and
means for the payment of the interest
and the final liquidation of the bonds |
without levying a very burdensome
tribute on any Of us.
We think that this statement would
be particularly true II the suggestion
made some time ago by Commission
er w. A. McRae be adopted.
His suggestion is that a small tax
be levied on every gallon of gasoline
sold in the state.
This tax would not fall heavily on
the users OF gasoline for the reason
that the same number OF gallons
would make a greater number of
miles over good roads than over bad
ones.
Then. too, the breakage and general
wear and tear to automobiles and mo-
tor trucks would be a great deal less,
and the comfort and luxury of travel
would be worth the tax.
We think we may be perfectly safe
in saying that the infinitesimal tax
placed on the gasoline, put to this
laudable purpose. would be hailed as
a blessing by automobile owners rath-
err than a burden.
1t may not be aniss to say that II
this method of levying a tax for TAX
ing care Of the bonds be adopted that
the visitors to the state, who will
largely partake of the luxury of travel,
will pay their full share of the tax.
Having advocated the issuing of
bonds for the building of good roads
for so long a time and so persistently
and consistently, to now go against
the state bond issue would be going
against our traditions. and we would
have to confess that all the argu-
ments we have used heretofore in
urging bond issues were insincere
and fallacious.
In this connection we beg to re-
mind the Florida Grower that 1t is in
error when it says that it stands al
most alone of the state papers in ad-
vocating the adoption OF the constitu-
tional amendment TOR the building of
good roads.
The Jacksonville Metropolis. the
Jacksonville Observer. the Hastings
Herald. the ST. Augustine Record. the
Palm Beach Post. the Titusville Star,
the Motorist. the Gainesville Daily
News and any number OF papers
reaching our exchange table are ad-
vocates OF the measure.
We feel that the defeat of the
amendment will prove as big set
back to the prosperity of the state as