The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1888-02-02

The CHRONICLE believes in all proper
inspection, but it is sick and tired of class
legislation directed against the South.
ARE WE sEyOLUTING'' BACK
WARDS9
'sThe best indication of higher civiliza-
tion among d people is good roads," said
the editor of the CHRONICLE few days
ago, in conversation with some gentlemen
in regard, generally, to the necessity of
improving the public roads of the State,
and particularly of those leading into
Raleigh.
eff your proposition is true" replied a
gentleman, "then l will be ID if the
Raleigh people are not the worst kind of
savages. l expect soon to see their faces
covered with hair"
Another gentleman said, Eyes; and one
of these mornings each citizen will be
wearing caudal appendage. We will
evolute backwards and become monkeys -
Every man who comes into our State is
unfavorably impressed with US because of
the terrible condition of our roads. Re-
Gently they have been indescribably bad.
No language fit to go in a newspaper could
do them justice. Every man who has
travelled over them has either been pro-
fame or thought profanity. Expletives
have made the air blue as the wheels have
sunk deep down beneath the mud. Preach
ers need not expect men to keep their re-
ligion when buggy and cart wheels are
half a foot deep in mud. In the interest
of pure religion, the CHRONICLE advocates
better roads. The preachers and all others
interested in good morals, as we'll as the
Society for the Prevention of Swearing,
ought to join us in making demand for
passable roads. Unless there is improve
ment, we look for speedy degeneration
among our whole people, and wholesale
going into the sulphuric depths of sulphu-
ric profanity.
In Raleigh the streets were known as
''the muddy way" and were as impassa-
BILE as when, four years ago, a bill passed
the Legislature to charter a Ferry Boat
Company to run on Fayetteville street.
This editor came from the depot one after
noon last week, and in the omnibus was
a Northern gentleman and his family on
the way to Southern Pines. Their re-
marks as the wheels would go down into
gulleys, and their expressions of surprise
at such streets at the capital of the State,
were enough to make resident hide his
face for shame. The gentleman inquired,
''Why don't you have the streets macade-
mizedl' Soto voce, a gentleman said,
1--WE content ourselves with using the
dam" in the word when swearing at the
authorities.' Seriously, the streets of the
city ought to be attended to so that another
similar rain will not again convert Raj
eigh into rainy bog, veritable Slough
of Despond. But of that we will speak at
another time. 1t is local matter, and
our local authorities will deal with it.
But the conditions of the roads in the
country is of still greater moment and
concerns every citizen in the State. The
roads are disgrace to our civilization and
stand as speaking witness of our want of
intelligent legislation and intelligent labor.
The recent session of the Farmers Conven-
ton spoke wisely ard we'll in declaring for
a new system Of working the public roads.
The present system is nothing more nor
less than an outrage upon the non-prop-
erty holders. 1t is not rooted in reason
or justice. 1t is relic of class legisla-
ton. Capt. S. B. Alexander, in speech
published in the CHRONICLE two weeks
ago, made clear the injustice of the sys-
TEN, in that it puts the entire tax upon the
farmers and farm laborers. Of course
they ought to bear their share Of this bur
den, but it is manifestly unjust to place il
all on their shoulders, and the CHRONICLE
will never quit discussing this question
| until there is change that will make the
! burden bear equally upon all. IT MUST
CONE.
Varying Fortunes Told by Gypsies.
Bah in n. Y. Star.]