The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1922-08-25
Let the People Know It,


party nomination just closed. onl
one man in the speeches made re
ferred to it, and Senator Gwinn sim
NV said that IL the measure was pre-
posed for legislation he would vet
any bill that did not carry the sub
mission Of same to the people. TIL
others beat the air with scathing de
nunciation of department service
hut adroitly avoided the proposition
to bond the State for matter o
$75.000,000 for highways. IL ap
peared that everyone was more o.
less afraid of It, 1t made the bis
bold stand they were assuming abou
everything else look like a sham.
Now that measure is certain to bt
proposed for legislation in Tennes
see, unless a survey of the House and
Senate shows there is no chance for
it. Already the proposition has been
raised from S50,OOO.e00 TO $75,00O,-
O00.
What we think is that every prop
nsition of this character which in
wolves the expenditure of great sums
of public money should be brought
before the people who are to pay the
bill. There should be Il thoro dis
cussion of the subject, and since it
was not discussed i'll the primary the
candidates for Governor in the No
vember election should be called out
and pressed to discuss the matter.
1t is neither democratic nor honest
to hide these things from the peo-
pie. Ii possible every candidate for
the Legislature should be made toI
understand how his people feel about
the issuance of $4,000, 900 for State
highways. The candidates for Gov
ernor and the Legislature are not act
ing in good faith if this or any other
important matter is NOT taken to the
people for a hearing,
One good reason for the argument |
We are making to have discussion |
of the road bond proposition in the
campaign before the November elec-
ton is the fact that it the matter. is
LEFT to a vote OF the people only 4
very small per cent of them will vote
in . primary. And the question IS,
AFTER all, will an expression from =
Ne IN If tho |
State be registered in a primary cleo
ton? 1t is not likely. That fact
must also be taken in connection
with the other fact that primary
Or referendum will cost the taxpayers
from $4,000 TO 100000,
Now, why not take this matter at
once, or when the fall campaign be-
gins, before the people for their in
iorsement or rejection. Let candi-
lates Peay and Taylor and the can
for the Legislature come to
he people with these things as they I
should do.
There is no question but that such
4 bill will be proposed. No ono
knows that better than the news
papers who are at all times called
N 70 boost the game. whatever it
5.
Nov, just what is embraced in the
TO issue s75.OOO.O0O for
highways in Tennessee, or the plans +
or this work. is B matter that has
,een worked on. but in all probabil- p
ty will not be perfected until the d
legislature meets Advance an u
fixing the bond issuei
It S5Q,0Q00Qo specified that the
highway department would divided
he issue in yearly installments e /
this amount 70 be used
.ach year for 8 period Of Eve years b
n improving the state highways It Il
vas undertake. to show that the fed
raj road fund, -he State automobile Cd
AK, with the addition OF . gasoline
ak, would pay the interest and re IA
ire these bonds IS they become due. IA
his is an uncertain sort of propo- r
ition. Every candidate this yea
as discussed q gasoline TAX as II j
funds might be raised from a.
hat source without affecting the d
rice OF gasoline OF course the gas &C
line users will do the payiug-that'sI II
lain. b,
What always strikes US as more Il
srious phase OF the matter is, should d
he Legislature decide to pass a road
ond bill for fifty or seventy-fye mil as
ons. how much of this will actually II
= put into road construction. how TT
uch OF it win go to the elaborate II
I'd expensive engineering program. -C
I'd how much grating will there be Of
the contracts. Isl
Would we get out of this seventy q
re millions road Improvements % u
|, intrinsic value Of twenty-five mil
pms. or 0ne-third Of the total u
mount of the bond iSSue2 | doubt n
We would get any more than that u
lless the bill that embraces the is Al
e of bonds also provides specifca- 81
= - ,-se.e ~ Y,,sf,rsoT aud cor,