Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1923-11-02
Senator Byrd Outlines Perils
Of Proposed Road Bond Issue in
Speech Before the Legislature

Mr. President Since the first agitation the question of
for roads, the position of the people living the valley
of Virginia been consistently and persistenty msrepented
charged the Valley opposed to state road
bond issue for selfish and unpaoic reasons It true that an over
whelming majority of the people living the Valley OF Virginia are
unaeably opposed roads, but that
such opposition selfish There little if opposition by the
Valley people present mill the automobile license
and the proposed three cent gasoline dedicated good
roads If sefhnes controlled opposition the bond ISSUE then
the would lead these special road taxes
fall heavily upon the rich and Valley counties
upon any other section of Virginia
THE VALLEY TURNPIKE
has actual reproach the people living the
Valley Virginia because happen have the Valley turnpike
1885 thehs of the cost OF
this road was paid by State of Virginia accordance with the
policy State that aid in the construction of roads
and The Valley received than its share Two
fths or approximately S18oooo was by people
living the Valley of Virginia For the long period from 1885
1870 when the first foreign traffic began through
the Valley this road was maintained preserved and recon,
by Valley people Only dividend of paid
during the history of the At conservative estimate not
paid in tolls by the Valley people during
long period that this great road could be preserved and
ed the State gift such splendid condition that not
single mile has had reconstructed and only bridge has had
to be replaced When Valley Turnpike Company dissolved
1918 and this transferred the State the private stock
holders received only $4,000 of the cash bank of
Ic the dollar of the original The State received
$4,000 cash. the toll houses valued Sa5ooo all of the vau
able machinery of the Turnpike Company and the road bed entirely
without
For best known themselves the advocates of
bond issue Virginia have conducted organized propaganda for
the of dcredtng the motives of those who differ with them
speech recently made Roanoke Mr. George P Coleman
mery State Highway Commissioner of Virginia and President
of the Good Roads Association stated that peanut poll
tcan small with vision" and reacionary Mr.
Coleman entitled to his opinion of entitled
opinion him. but when he stated the same address that had
supported single progressive road since election
the Senate 1916 he made which conrdd by
the records of this Senate In 1916 the Senator from Henco
Gunn) and myself the resolution which made
oe the creation of the highway system This
luton provided for the appointment of commission recommend
the Assembly of 1913 system of roads, had the honor
member commission the distinguished
from Fredericksburg (N1r. Goorick chairman
the patrons of the bill that highway system supported
the mill dedicated roads supported the increase
the automobile license and the segregation of this for the
maintenance of the highway In fact have supported
genuine road that has been enacted into
law the 1910, including the OznByrd
highway BILL
Mr. Coleman also charged that have used my official position
chairman of the Democratic State Committee defeat the
bond issue for roads, emphacaly deny that have done
challenge Mr. Coleman or any one else to point to one single act
of mine whereby used official position chairman of the Demo
cratic State Committee connection with this other ega
tive was State Senator before unanimously elected
chairman of the Democratic State Committee My views
ton the bond well known As Senator of Virginia
duty support oppose all legislation presented this
body do not believe that the members of the Democratic State
Committee desire be unhu my convictions and
the pledges have made constituency and fulfill
public duty announcing position public questions
AS to the charge been made that opposition the
has injured the Democratic Party will only point the
present position the Democratic Party today when for the first
time solid Democratic delegation represents V
gna National Congress- and the of the minor
y party both the House of Delegates and Senate smaller than
years
The motives of oppose bond roads have
frequently been questioned that will take the liberty Mr.. President
to call personal l the of four apple
orchards have reasonable obtaining less than
barrels annually Every barrel be hauled the
kets hv means Of MOTOR trucks an ayaqe distance of ten miles
think that will large of the
gasoline that advocate other food producer Virginia
Certainly charged with selhshne advocating
which will fall heavily upon The rich Valley counties with
percentage automobiles than other
likewise be aboed of sefshnes when they willing
support gasoline effective substitute tor the
bond ISSUE GH
Among the misleading propaganda that has been spread broad
Virginia has been said that the amendment to the
Constitution adopted mandate favor of the issuance
of bonds This simply authorize the General Assembly
issue bonds if the members thereof their wisdom fit to do
To authority mandate What happened
later? large majority of the House of Delegates elected
elected announced and uneqvoc platforms opposition
to the bond ISSUE This the last mandate have from the
people OF Virginia think that the sacred pledge that
man can assume is an obgatonbwen public official and the
constituency that elected him Office 1t sacred than
obligation enforcble in the courts because obligation based
upon honor and good faith obligation that strikes the
root and foundation of of
because the only the people express their public
matters to vote tor against those candidates accordance with
their announced platforms If those candidates after election
change their platforms the people very properly feel they
nave been betrayed and cannot be cenurcd for losing faith
government ANY who desires change his such
moentou question that placing mortgage upon the land
OF his people should and submit
present rate OF retirement
Will ae from the time the first bond to the time the last
pond VIII Dc retired In addition this the cities and
towns OF this commonwealth S8ooooooo total of $Io1ooo
600 directly resting Virginia In to this the United
ofafes owes and of this debt
S45ooooooo making total Of $55ooooooo for which Virginia is
responsible average of S225 for every woman child
$1,000 for the head every family and a2 an acre for eyerv acre Of
land. -
THE MENACE OF TAX EXEMPT BONDS.
Think n1 PRESIDENT that Of The greatest con-