The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-05-22
Y IE w S O F
] O u RN AL
|-R E A . E r S
Tho journal Is glad to print
short communications from read
ers on any topic Of interest.
Letters should be typewritten u
possible, and double spaced.

| Editor Of The Journal:
! It is with some hesitancy that
ask for space for a few expressions
on the special act proposed as meth
| cd of handling finds which win arise
from the sale of 81, 100000 road bonds.
Since the board of directors OF the
! chamber of commerce express regfef
at the activities in opposition to the
passage of the act; however we will
! take 1t for granted that there is no
objection TO some discussion OF
matter in which the public is so vitally
| interested and assuming for the time
| that all opposition to the special act
| is without foundation, nevertheless. 1T
would seem not improper that some
/ discussion be had. II the bill is prop
er such discussion would cause public
opinion to get squarely behind it and
4 il wrong then the endorsement by any
number of civic bodies does not make
| it right.
/ do not want to set my opinion up
against that of those who have en-
| dorsed the proposed plan and 1 know
that my personal opinion would have
no weight in the matter unless the
| reasons given by me We're in them
selves convincing.
The president of the chamber Of
commerce in Thursday mornings Jour-
nal makes a statement Of the plan to
be followed; so we will argue the
matter from his standpoint giving the
best results possible from the special
act. He says we propose to build ten
miles of road and ask for federal aid
to match it and then miles more until
the federal aid amounts TO enough 10
build the bridge. Now this makes the
matter clear that federal aid, which
will be actually appropriated for our
roads, will be taken for the bridge to
an amount sufficient to build. 1t, the
amount of which we are told will be
5000 900 and that after this is done
there is a possibility of US having
SCOT, 900 for Escambia county. In 9TH
er words they claim We will get
$3.50, 900 in federal aid and we will have
what is left when the bridge is built;
but suppose we got the federal aid for
roads and used it on our roads, thea
we would have $750,000 for our roads
instead of $4,000 to 100000 as stat
ed Why not have it used that way
and il we do not need all funds to
build the roads specified then it viii
not be necessary to sell the entire
bond issue; but it is said we cannot
get federal aid unless we allow the
state road departmen3 to take our
federal aid money and build the Es-
Gambia bridge with it. Where does
that information come from and how
can any one make definite statement
as to what public officials will do?
1t has been stated that by turning
over the funds to state road depart
ment we will get federal aid to match
our road fund as this will enable the
s. r. D. to match federal aid with
state funds. With this being true,
would not the state road department
recommend the matching Of our funds
with federal aid. without diverting
federal aid money from this county
for another purpose? If the state road
department requires Escau1bia county
to build Escambia bridge as condi-
ton precedent then they are certainly
controlling the situation by the use of
the big stick" Why not finance the
Escambia bridge without interfering
with the good road program of Escam-
bia county? The plan which has been
followed i'll many instances is that
state pay one-third, federal govern
ment one-third and county one-third,
which on this bridge costing 100000
would mean 100000 for the state,
100000 for federal government, $l00,
900 for Escambia county and 100000
for Santa Rosa county, or saving to
the people of Escambia county of the
difference between 100000 and $780,
600, or 100000. But it may be said
that federal aid cannot be secured for
the kind Of bridge proposed to be
built, but the plan of this bridge was
approved BIZ United States government
engineers sent here for the purpose Of
passing on the matter and to say 1t
will now be disapproved is mere
speculation 1t might be claimed that
the state road department could not
be induced to furnish its share of
100000; then IL that be true. why not
use the same subterfuge proposed as
to Escambia county bonds and turn
county funds over to state road de-
partment under contract to build the
bridge and make 1t 100000 for fed
eral aid and $4,000 to each of the
counties interested, or saving to Es-
combia county Of $4,000. If the fed
eral aid only amounts to 100000 then
the two counties would each pay $780,
600 and Escambia county would still
have saving OF $780, 600. This amount
may seem small, but when the tax
payers begin to pay $50 to $55 on the
$1,000 assessment or five to five and
one-half per cent of the assessed value
of their property it will not seem like
such q small item. Federal aid money