The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-05-26
sv w. cHIPLEY JONES

4
/ Sunday, appeared a communication over
my name In which public attention was
/ directed to one Of the boldest, most bare
faced and inexcusable pieces OF official
faithlessness which has occurred In the
| political annals of Escamba county, to-
wit. the action Of the board Of county
commissioners in advertising for bids for
the construction of 1-2 miles Of paved
highway in three widely separated To-
calities in the county, which is to be
laid WITHOUT ONE PENNY OF FED
ERAL OR STATE AID, notwithstanding
there are federal aid funds amounting to
S250,000 now available for highway con-
struction in Escambia county.
Expected soderlind Resolution
When I prepared that communication,
although the facts which I alleged there
In were predicated upon official records
and the word of mouth OF the countys
highway engineer. felt sure that Com
missioner Soderlind would arm himself
with one of his famous resolutions
couched in highsounding platitudes and
meaningless genefalities. denying in toto
every allegation made by me. And frank
ly, was both surprised and disappointed
that a meeting Of the board was not
F., called on Monday to consider 90 and
adopt such a resolution.
Thrilled at Information That Would Be
Adequately Answered"
However my disappointment was par
TALLY relieved on Monday. when a friend
informed me that Commissioner Soder-
lind had advised him that 1 would be
adequately answered" within the COM
ing twenty-four or thirty-six hours; so
imagine. If you can, the thrill which
have experienced each morning and after
noon since, anticipating that the serious
charges which ] have lodged against the
ma jority quartette of the board OF COM
missioners would be adequately ans
wered," and perhaps I, as writer, be
made a Ounce of with the newspaper
reading public who have so avidly con-
sumed and accepted the charges which
have made against the commissioners.
Charges Still Unanswered.
Monday and Tuesday, and Wednesday
passed, however without a syllable ap-
peRrIng in the public prints from either
! of 'the commissioners in denial Of my
chargesI nor has Commissioner Soderlind,
insofar as the public is aware, armed
himself with one of his famous resolu-
tions since, witness the fact that there
have been two meetings of the board
of commissioners since Monday and no
such resolution was brought to light at
either of these meetings.
Commissioners Gilmore, Gates, soderllnd
and Candy In Tho News.
But on Thursday afternoon, there ap-
p6afeu IN the columns or InS News q
communication signed by Commissioners
Gilmore, Gates, Soderlind and GaI1y.
which was evidently intended to combat
the charges made by me in The Joucnal
Of Sunday To my utter chagrin and
disappointment, however, not a syllable
is contained therein TO weaken in the
remotest degree any Of the charges which
/ have lodged against the quartette Of
commissioners. On the contrary, the
In oil
strengthened. The admission is frankly
made that s250,000 of federal aid funds
are now available for use IN highway
construction in Escambia county; also
that the county is promised an additional
$3.50, 900, which viii be available out OF
the 1928 federal highway appropriation.
In other words, that after July ], next,
100000 0f federal aid funds win be avail
abe. The main issue In my charges OF
Sunday, though, are studiously avoided
and through the employment of general
ities 1t is sought by the commissioners 10
camouisge these issues.
Charge That 1-2 Miles Road lie Built
Without Federal Aid Not Denied.
The crux of my charges is that the
commissioners are advertising for bids
for the construction of IL miles Of
highway WITHOUT ONE PENNY Of
STATE OR FEDERAL AID.
Records Sustain Charges.
This Is fact sustained by the records
OF the board therefore, there was no
escape from its stinging force, as Com
nissioners Gilmore, Gates, Soderlind and
Candy attempt 70 justify themselves for
their outrageous betrayal of the peoples
confidence by submitting this weak alibi,
Wit
"This amount allotted to Florida Is for
the use Of the whole state. There are
sixty-ons counties in Florida
mo one who has studied the question
OF federal and state aid to the counties
thinks or suspects that Escambia ooun-
ty'a one million, five hundred thousand
dollars bonds viii be matched dollar for
dollar, or that federal and state aid viii
be available for this county, II is prob
able that one half OF his one million, five
hundred thousand dollars win not be
matched"
And this IN the face OF the fact that
each ct the commissioners subscribing 10
that statement knows that in the cam
paign for the ga 600, 900 bond issue in
September, 1890 the people were assured
that every penny OF the bonds which they
were asked to vote. would be matched
with federal and state aid on a 5000
basis.
cross Insult 70 intelligence OF Voters
ard Taxpayers.
II Is bnt begging the question though, I
indeed + Is a gross Insult TO the in
teIlisenee OF the voters and taxpayers OF 4
the county for the commissioners In one
breath 70 admit that tho county has
positively and prospectively available. I
$500. coo sf federal aid funds, and IN the
next breath to attempt to delude the
people into believing that 1t is imprac-
ticaBIe to expect al Of the county's high