The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1863-01-24

kOUtl IT, II VIII uO6 UISCOAEHSS 1SUs tQE
the people, if poor, are self-reliant, and this,
after all, is the quality which makes men
and States.
Our roads need Improvement our
streams should be bridged. let the people,
without looking abroad for help, do what
they can themselves, and it will not bs
long. with well,directed and economical
labor, before the means of intercommunica-
ton between neighborhoods in counties. and
between counties, viii be easy and safe, in
every season of the year. Nor will the la
Dor and money thus expended be lost.
spent will return an hundred-fold.
But it is right you should avail yourselves
of every oppol tunity to secure these i'm
provements, and the opportunity now ex-
lists by which this may be done.
Military necessity demands that We should
have good roads in several leading direc-
tions. We can neither defend the common
interest of the West, vital alike to US aud
the nation, nor can we prevent waste of
treasure, which, when fully stated, will
startle the most intelligent. / proceed to
refer to these military roads, and to give
the reason why they should be improved;
| lst. The completion of the railroad from
Weston to Fort Leavenworth.
Cd. The wagon road from Fort Leaven-
worth to Fort Scott and South.
! Sd. From Fort Leavenworth TO Fort IN
ion. via Riley, L4arned and Lyon.
4ih. From Fort LeavenWorth TO Fort
Laramie and West.
Through the kindness of Major L. c.
Easton, Depot Quartermaster at Fort Leav-
enworth, learn these facts: That $4,000
tons of freight have been transported from
| Weston to Fort Leavenworth since the close
| of navigation on the Missouri river, at an
increased cost of nineteen thousand two
hundred dollars ($19. 200) to the Govern
ment which entire amount would have been
saved had the Platte County Railroad been
extended from Weston to point opposite
that post-a distance of four miles.
We are safe in saying that there are thir-
ty thousand men in the field, and at distant
posts, south and west, dependent upon Fort
Leavenworth for supplies.
The number of trains employed by Gov
ernment In transporting supplies has been
one hundred and twenty six. These trains
average twenty-six wagons each. The
amount of freight thus transported, during
the past .year (1862) is 100000 lbs
The cost of this transportation to the Gov
eminent has been upwards of a million and
half.
The increased cost to the Government,
on this large outlay, in consequence of bad
roads, unbridged streams, tolls, breakage
and delay, is ten per cent.
This sum, thus wasted annually, if wisely
and economically applied, would build the
railroad from Weston to Fort Leavenworth,
bridge all streams, improve the wagon roads
from the Fort to the various depots depend
ent upon it, and will save to the Govern
ment hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Considered IN the light of military me-
cessity, or as matter of national economy
these improvements are imperatively de-
manded. 1t will be your duty to collect
full details and facts on this important sub
ject and present them TO Congress and the
country; for, when correctly presented.
both Congress and the country will not only
admit the appeal to be just, but regard its
execution national duty.
The right political education of terrific
ry is essential to its character. That edu-
cation moulds and fashions, materially, the
institutions of the State. The tiller of the
soil, the mechanic, the professional man and
the merchant, who pursue their avocations
faithfully and earnestly, and do not allow
their attention to be distracted by the allur-
ing prospect of Office and its spoils, are as
sure to succeed in their business, as night
follows day. Steady labor is steady growth.
The man who has constant employ ment,
who relies upon himself and his Legitimate
business, and not upon political position or
public patronage, will not only realize per-
manent success, but create an Individuality
which will be felt in society. The man
hood of the citizen makes the manhood of
the State. would urge upon you, there
fore, as | would impress upon the people.
TO look at and labor for. HOME interests.
Our hopes should center in our farms, our
workshops and our storehouses, and not in
the bureaus of the national capitol. A love
of home, thus created, would increase, ev-
erywhere. the 1--we of liberty, and deepen
the desire for improvement; would purify
the public mind and heart; would strength
EN- justice and give stability to law.
On one point do not wish to be misun-
derstood. declare here, whatever may hap
pen, that the law shall prevail. No COM
munity can thriVH where life and property
are not safe 1t is useless to talk of the
border, and the strifes of the border. Tie
farmer and the mechanic should be as safe
there as in the center Of Fort Leavenworth
or the heart of Ohio. The truth is, we can
do nothing, be nothing, unless the graphing
vigor of law shall repress outrage and wrong.
Kansas has been disturbed by lawless bands,
protesting ability to execute law and 20 pro-
tect private property. Raids and robberies
have followed. Our most populous cities
have been controlled for hours, if not for
days, by those who claimed, insolently, to
be the defenders of right and justice. De-
moralization of the worst kind has eusued