Carthage courier. (Carthage, Tenn.) 1913-current, 1921-07-21
TO THE PEOPLE
OF SMITH COUNTY

AS Chairman of the County Court
and Financial Agent of the County,
feel it my duty to address this open
letter to the taxpayers Of the County,
and especially to the members of the
Court. We are now engaged in build
ing system of County roads at a
cost of $400,0O0.00. This is the big
gest business enterprise the County
has ever engaged in, and the expen-
diture of this vast sum of the peoples
money should be conducted upon
strictly business principles. 1t should
not be wasted, grated or misappro-
priated, and it is believed our Road
Commissioners are using their utmost
efforts to prevent anything of this
kind being done. 1t is the peoples
money and it should be safeguarded
as sacred trust fund. The object
sought to be attained by the expendi-
ture OF this large amount of money
is that the people may have good
roads. This is not only the primary
object, but is the only object sought
to be accomplished. 1t is not con-
templated that any man or set of men
should profit off of this fund, and no
really patriotic man would desire to
fatten at the expense of the county.
1t is highly commendable that the road
fund be expended by giving our own
people employment at reasonable
prices. No man should desire more
than a reasonable wage for building
his own road. If he CRAFTS off the
road fund, if he succeeds in getting
more than a reasonable price for his
labor, he gets it off of the people and,
thereby, Injuries his own interests.
Every good and patriotic citizen
should take a pride in assisting in
this great work. If the people along
a given road get more for their labor
and teams than is reasonable, they
are simply robbing themselves. 1t
would be like man taking his own
money out of one of his pockets and
putting it in the other, and nothing
would be gained. The people would
get little more money and less road,
and when the road is built, it belongs
to the people. Let's be reasonable and
fair and deal justly with ourselves.
In my judgment the County Court
made a serious mistake at it's recent
session in undertaking to fix the price
of labor at $500 per day and teams at
$500 per day. People are clanoring
for employment and are willing to
work for much less than the stipulated
rates. Men with teams have come in
large numbers and offered them for
$500 per day, and some have been
rendered at $3.50 per day and there
is an abundance of labor at $1.50 to
$1.75 per day. There is some COM
plant among the people that they can
not get work on the roads, as result
of which the Commissioners are being
criticised. Why give the peoples
money away? Why give more than
is asked? Would good business
man give $500 for teams when he
could employ them for $500? Ger
tainly not, and why permit the peo-
pies money to be wasted A. reduc-
ton of 20 per cent in the price of
teams and labor would mean that the
people would get 20 per cent more
road or 20 per cent better roads This
would mean II or Is miles more road.
We have more than $250,000 yet to
expend. Twenty per cent of that
amount is $4,000, which would build
II 1-2 miles of road. By reducing
the price of labor and team we could
build a road from the County seat to
the Trousdale County line, or to the
Wilson County line or to The extreme
end of the county in any direction.
If the State and Federal Highways
should not be built as contemplated,
then the county will have about %
miles more road to build, and to main
tain the highways fixed by the court
would mean that all the roads desig-
mated could not be built, or if built,
would be very low grade roads
/ call upon the taxpayers in all
seriousness to lock this matter square
ly in the face. Let US do the best
thing for the county. Let us build
the roads according to business prin-
ciples and get the best results. / sug-
gest that prompt steps be taken to
remedy this situation. Crop time is
over and by all means let this reduc-
ton be had in the interest of the tax
payers and the cause of good roads
This letter may subject me to criti-
cism, but / am willing to be criticised
when | know l am right. Take this
matter up with your Magistrates and
let it be thoroughly discussed and
be promptly acted upon.
Very respectfully,
DAVID HODGES, Chairman.