Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1921-04-29
GOOD ROADS WITHOUT BONDS
BY J. SHEPPARD POTTS, PRESIDENT
OF THE RURAL ROAD I'M
PROVEMENT LEAGUE,

> 0AAI1 Z AMI EO41o, ENESAOENA |
OF THE RURAL ROAD I'M
PROvEMENT LEAGUE.
The need for good roads is
new-everyone knows
they are needed /; and the Rural
Road Improvement League has
been working for them ever since
1908, and in an organized state
wide manner ever since 1914. But |
it is not fair to the people that
the need for good roads should
be used as lure for a bond issue,
to furnish the bait: to influence
the people of Virginia to allow
their farms and homes to be
mortgaged in this manner just to
satisfy the aims of a few bond is
sue advocates and political agi-
tators ; because bonds do not
mean roads, and especially when
the figures from every source
show definitely that every road
in the Commonwealth can be
built with the cash already in
hand and with the road funds al
ready available and coming in
continually from regular sources
of road revenues. This is not
matter of opinion but is actual
fact, open to the public for in
spection and verification-it is
not necessary to take anyone's
word or opinion for it, as anyone
who wishes the facts may get
them for himself very easily.
Statements were made recently
by the bond issue advocates that
only 100000 of the road money
remains unobligated whereas, a
simultaneous statement made
from. the State Highway Com
missioner admitted a balance of
$4,O81, 101, in addition to 81, O0O,-
900 Federal aid. He said that of
$13, 330,224, exclusive of 1921
road taxes and automobile Ii.
censes, the sum of IS, 249,1
must be set aside to pay for 65O.4
| miles of the State highway sys-
tenn let to contract, a portion of
which is completed. With 650.4
miles completed and under way,
this leaves only $3.50 miles Of the
$500 miles to be built and the
average cost of the 65O.4 miles
! just built has been So, 654 a mile,
which, at the De'y highest estimate,
would make the balance of the
State system cost not more than
1887, 100000 for the $3.50 miles
vet to be built-but even at this
milage it is said that 1000 or
more miles have been built al
ready in many links of the State
system, which leaves only about
1000 miles actually to be built
l noun VIZ !, ;c11 CO.,, l>a Jo.1o Fo~ loco
than SIS, 100000. AS this aver
age cost so high, it allows for a
very large percentage of concrete
and other higher types of con-
struction. These are official fig
ures which it will pay the peo-
pie of Virginia to investigate to
see what they really are getting
for their tax noney-but one
thing is certain, that we have
far more than enough in current
road rs0enues in Virginia to build
the entire State system in less
than six years time, even if it
were physically possible to &C
cOmpl1sh the work within this
period and enough to connect
up all the county highway sys-
TENS as well. Even anticipatory
county bonds can be paid from
the State current revenues from
taxes set aside for roads. Special
app oprati0ns are in the legisla-
ture, to be made every two years,
as everyone knows.
Fakirs at a fair will tell you
to come and take a chance"
they never say, save your
money; and with fakir's game
you stand only one chance in ten
to wln-but with a State bond
issue, the taxpayer has no chance
at all. In a recent bond issue
election for county bonds in
ICharlee City county, the free
holders and people Of education
and intelligence did all they could
to prevent the bond is sue, which
they knew was not needed ; but
it was carried by sa wmill team
sters and others who pay only a
poll tax. Why was this. and who
Influenced them ?
In the State of Arkansas the
situation is terrible, due to a
bond issue for road improve
ment,' although the Special
Er,>nI Y,1rr,