The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1920-10-07
Warning TO Opponents Of Good Roads
Jacksonville Obseryer)

will mean blessing to all Florida
The method in the madness of the
railroad opposition is that good roads
will result in less freight cars, and
less freight rates. Give Florida the
right kind of roads everywhere and
trucks will make the people indepen-
dent of the slow freight.
1t is time for halt along the lines
the railroads are using to block a
movement which will prove so glori-
Gus for the whole State of Florida.
Florida is inviting new settlers and
its home producers are complaining
of lack of facilities to get their pro-
ducts to the market. The remedy is
good roads all over the State.
One reader who received his inspir-
alton from the T.-U. actually said:
Our state is pushing ahead too
rapidly. Good roads means too much
prosperity for the auto manufacture
ers."
The railroads are misjudging the
temper of the people. They have for
gotten what the people can do when
aroused. Only a few years ago the
House of Representatives of Florida
unanimously passed a resolution to
the effect that railroad-owned news
papers were great curse to Florida,
and they are curse when they at
tempt to serve the railroads to the
detriment of the people.
Florida is weary of retrogression.
and She is going to have public high
ways creditable to the state. The OBJ
server is not much possessed of this
worlds goods, but it is rich in good
advice, and in this "Golconda of gray
matter" are a million dollars worth
of suggestions, and generous heart
prompts giving them away free. Now
here is a suggestion to the railroads
owning and operating Florida news
papers.
No one questions the right of the
legislature in the matter of taxation.
No one questions the right of the
legislature to say how taxes must
be applied.
The railroads, should they defeat
the bond issue could, by legislative
enactment, be forced to pay the neces-
sary taxes to be applied to building
good roads all over Florida. THE
RAILROADS MAY OWN SOME
BUT THEY DO NOT
OWN THE FLORIDA LEGISLA-
TURE.
The men who comprise the next
Florida legislature are big men who
have F'lorida's best interests at heart.
They know that years ago the rail
roads were granted hundreds of thou
sands of acres of choice Florida lands.
They know that inadequate and I'M
fair railroad rates result in Florida
produce being sold in northern cities
cheaper than in Jacksonville. They
know that Florida good roads means
unprecedented prosperity.
There are 5000 miles of railroad
track in Florida, and an assessed
valuation of 900 per mile. The
roads consequently in this state are
worth at the lowest estimate $4,000,
900.
Twenty thousand dollars per mile
would not be excessive but on the
contrary very small in comparison to
the actual worth. This would mean
1920, 100000 worth of property
which through honest and just tax
alton, and honest and just application
would form justifable picking
grounds" to build the good roads of
Florida should the railroads succeed
in defeating the good roads bond is
sue
Frank o. Miller stands among
Florida's most thoughtful and loyal
men. His work already for Florida
for good roads entitle him to
He and others in the
last legislature have proved pathfind-
ers for the people. The Observer
has in these men great confidence,
and believe that the people of Flor
ida will find a way to give Florida
the good roads needed and deserved.
The best solution is through the
bond issue, which the railroads are
fighting.
The last legislature is on record
about good roads and the method to
be applied to get them. The next
legislature will have large majority
of good road advocates, and if the
railroads should defeat the bond is
sue they will find way to secure
the desired means.