The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-10-05
THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMEND
MENT

Only a few days more remain for
registration, the books closing Octo-
Der 10th, and every man and woman
who has not yet registered, should do
SO at once. The women Of Escambia
made a record vote on the county
bonds for permanent county roads,
and will again have the opportunity
in November to vote for good roads
in the general election, by voting for
the constitutional amendment.
1t Is natural to suppose that any
man or woman who cast his vote for
good roads in the special election,
will vote for the constitutional amend
ment, for the two are indissolubly
connected. Whether or not the consti-
tutional amendment carries. Escambia
will have good roads. Why. then,
vote for the amendment For the SIM
pie reason that the amendment to
the constitution which empowers the
legislature to bond for a $4,000, O0G
fund for road development means that
the road system of the state will be
more speedily completed, and within
period of few years every part of
this state will be connected with
every other part.
Connection of every county in the
state with every other county. means
that this state will expand in the next
decade as it has never expanded be-
fore. But how can the state reach.
its full development. unless every
county in the state connects with every
other county?
II the state road department is to-
see that these highways area con-
nected, it is almost certainly neces>
sary that 1t have funds for this pun
pose. You cannot meet a dollar with
a dollar unless you have dollar The
counties expect the state to aid them
in their development, and the state,
in its turn, expects federal aid. This
money will not come to us out of a
clear sky. If the state is to get fed
eral aid, 1t must be in position to
match every cent from the govern
ment, for the monies of the federal
road bureau are disbursed on a fifty
fifty basis. Il
That we need this money, no one
can deny That we do not want to
raise this money by direct taxation.
is also clear. The farmers and prop
erty owners are opposed to further
direct taxation, Then how is this
money to be raised?
The delegates TO the st. Augustine
convention, which met to discuss the
amendment, went on record as against
direct taxation for the purpose OF
raising the necessary fund for state
roads, but. advocated the plan oil
raising the necessary income from
license fees on motor driven vehi- |
cles This is the fairest method to j
both the man who drives a car and !
the one who does not, for the simple |
reason that the tax falls on the man
who is most directly benefited by it.
this benefit not only coming through
the convenience of good roads. but |
through the actual saving in dollars |
and cents. The tax on motor driven |
vehicles viii be more than offset by |
the saving in time and upkeep.
comparison in the lowest pull re- |
corded, thst necessary to keep the |
taree-ton load moving after it was
started over an unsurfaced concrete
rSad amounted to So pounds or 27.sl
pounds per ton, and the pull through |
ttitt mud, which was 654 pounds for |
me load. or 21s pounds per ton, offers |
IN excellent illustration of the savingl
III good roads. Over a concrete road |
Two horses pulled SO pounds, each
herse pulling only Al I-2 pounds. |
while through the mud the team
pulled 6S4 pounds. and the puil OF
easL horse was So. pounds.
Another reason for the large vote
Fa.c'i Is expected from a. who owl
motor driven veil: les IS that saso-
lie must be conserved. ~ the mr. -ont
ra'a OF annual g1solIEa consumption /
oar shown visible s3ur@e e SIP; ~
VII last twenty year. ii tia present
wastefui practices are continued. If
Dads are pave this cons 3mpticn
viii be reduced in ais county alone
more than so per cent.