The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1921-05-06
$50, 1000, 900 ROAD NEWS

jefferson City, Mo-, May 2.-The
road meetings that are being held out
in the state in order to get the senti-
ment of the people in connection with
the $60,000,000 Bond Issue, according
to /. r. Kelso of Cape Girardeau,
President Federation of Missouri Com
mercial Clubs, indicate that much con-
fusion exists in the minds of the peo-
pie with regard to the solution Of two
vital questions which must be answer
ed. The questions are: (1) Shall we
levy a property tax for maintaining
state roads constructed out of funds
derived from the $6O,OO0,000 bord is
sue?" (2) "Shall we levy property
tax in order to provide for the pay
ment of interest on the $6O,GO0,O0O
road bond issue?"
We should not seek to avoid, cover
up, or conceal in any way, important
issues which must be met and solved
sooner or later in connection with any
honest effort on the part Of the lagis-
lature to authorize the issuance Of
road bonds in pursuance Of the spirit
and letter of Amendment No. Is.
If the people are going TO be COM
PEELED to pay property tax On real
and personal property in order to
meet the payment of any parJ OF the
principal or interest, or both, in order
to provide fund for maintaining
such roads, the Federation of Missou-
ri Commercial Clubs is in favor of
meeting the issue squarely, and dispos-
ing of it out in the open, so that the
failure to meet important issues, or to
substantially keep campaign pledges,
will not rise up to smite good roads
boosters later on when they go to the
voters asking for support for future
bond issues.
Men and women in practically ev-
cry community "went out on limb"
in perfect good faith to make pledges
to the people of Missouri in order to
secure majority of votes in favor of
the $60,0O0,000 bond issue.
Shall we keep faith and help to re-
deem such pledges as were made by |
good roads boosters during the cam
paign for the passage of Amendment |
No. 6, or shall we stand idly by and
watch the nullifiers of campaign pledg-
es saw off the limb without protest?
Common sense and self defense
should convince anyone that the first
thing to do is to find a practical way
to keep faith with the voters of this
state, in enacting constructive legisla-
ton to provide for the equitable dis
tribution and honest administration Of
the 100000 road fund.
Thousands Of voters have unqual- |
ifedly expressed themselves in favor |
of the state financing its own bonds,
thus saving 500, 900, 900 in interest.
If Missouri is to profit by the ex-
perience of other states in the matter
Of road construction, it is equally inn
portant that we should profit by such
experience in the matter of financing
road construction. Any bill authoriz-
ing the issuance of road bonds, should
provide a plan whereby the state
could at any time enter into con-
tract for road construction, with the
understanding that the contractor
might be required to accept bonds at
par in payment. Such bonds subject
TO redemption at any time upon sixty
days notice at par with accrued inter
est. Provisions should be made for
calling the bonds, and the power Of
he Board of Fund Commissioners
should be limited in case of private
sale of the bonds.
Kelso states that there is no dan
ger of Missouri adopting a road pro-
gram that would cause the state to
ose its share of Federal aid. Nilsson
Il has secured since 1917. 1892, 900 of
Federal aid. The fact that 1870 road |
projects in the state today have met
he requirements for federal aid and
,een approved by the Highway Board,
;learly demonstrates that Missouri
road projects are complying with
standard requirements.