Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1924-06-27
FRIDAY. JUNE ~. 1924.
ROAD CONSTRUCTION
REVENUE GROWS
Danville (va.) Register.

Danville (Va') Register.
Friends of the pay-as-you-
build road-construction and f.
nancing plan and probably the
open-minded element of the road
bond advocates will doubtless be
interested in the information
from the Office of the state motor
vehicle comE ission THAT the net
collection of taxes under the new
Law for the first ten months of
its operation has aggregated ST.
1863. $40. Commissioner Hays ex-
presses absolute confidence that
collections of the gasoline tax
for the remaining two months
will be sufficient to bring the
total net revenue from that source
up to three million dollars. Up
to June 1. Mr.. HAYS said t he
sum of $3,237. 52S.S6 had been
paid to the State through his
Office for automobile license taxes.
These figures on motor-licence
axes are for the first five months
of 1924 and exceed the total of
UGH collections for the entire
calendar year. 1928. Fully half
a. million additional in revenue
from this source is confidently
anticipated, thus bringing the
revenue from licences up to three
and three.quarter millions. AL
together these sums, with the
revenue from other sources avail
able for road construction and
maintenance seem to assure an
aggregate of nearly seven million
dollars for this purpose for the
ensuing year.
Fears entertained by the bond
proponents, or professed by them
q year ago, cannot fail to be dis
sipated by the logic of facts and
actual figures and indeed any
uneasiness any may actually have
felt that the pay-as-you-build
plan might fail to produce suf-
hcient revenue to warrant the
Reconstruction pace desired
will be aliayed. Let it be re-.
membered also that revenue from
these same sources in 1925 will
in all probility indicate an even
greater accretion of revenue dur
inc the year 1925. Virginia has
demonstrated to the whole coun.
~ that its plan of road con-
structiou will adequately meet
he needs of the state situation
and will save to the taxpayers
of the commonwealth the de-
pressing enerous aftermath of
years of sacrifice to pay off bonds.
The sequel to the referendum
struggle on these alternative
plans of financing bodybuilding
ought to serve to allav any
further bond agitation, at least
until some more propitious con-
ditions arise to make such an
agitation hopeful to the bond
protagoniste. In this connection
it may be persist in their road
bond propaganda in the light of
actual experience demonstration
that it is not at all necessary and
certainly is not desirable that
the state shall assum a heavy
burden of bonded debt 10 dol
what we can satisfactorily ac.I
complish on a cash basis and
without complaint from those
from whom the bulk of the funds
are being drawn.
The success of this plan cam
not fail to rebound to the credit
Of State Senator H. r. Byrd, off
Winchester, the able and tactful
leader of the pay-as-you-go force
Ind in that capacity the protector
If the farming population from
i fiffy million dollar bond issue
against which they were. so
strongly and earnestly arravei
We believe that Mr.. Byrd as
Iumed the advocacy of the cash
,lan of road construction through
conscientious conviction that iii,
vas the wise, sane and business
ike plan OF meeting an existing II
ituatiou calling for some execu IL
i've remedial measure, and wholly
without any idea of capitalizing | :
he issue to his own advantage | :
= aggrandizement. But COM
'lete vindication of his content
ion will Inevitably direct public
tteution to him As 4 thoughtful, .
rescient public man and oneI B
tmirablv capable OF solving B
al