The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1888-01-06
The surplus and Pablic Roads.

In several of the agricultural papers
lately we see new idea preached for
disposing Of the surplus in the treasury,
which is better than Blaine's plan Of
taking the tax of IF tobacco and
wouldn't be bad handle for Randall
and Kelly to lay hold Of. We select
the following from the Uestera Rarol:
Noticing an article in your paper Of
Dec. 3, saying there was piled up money
Fin the United States treasury $801,-
459,426, it seems to me any man, rich
or poor, must know this hoarding up
money will sooner or later affect poor
man as well as the rich, and If contin.
ued much longer will be disastrous to
all. How can our farmers stsnd BY and
see this money stored away when It
could be used to good advantage? You
see the cities are getting some new
postofices andeother gosernment build
ines are being built But It is all in
the cities. What do the farmers get?
Simply nothing Some little time ago
[ wrote an article to my mind telling
how to dispose Of d part Of It and still
keep right along collecting the same
revenues and I will tell you what it
was. Take this money and pro rate it
between every State Of the Union, and
each State to every county, and each
county to every township, and each
township to every road district, and let
US so on and begin to improve our pub
lie highways. What is there in the
whole United States that the money can
be spent for that win do more good
and is not the farmer entitled to it?
Why spend it all in the cities or let it
lie idle and say they don't know what
to do with it? No, Congress says we
must take off the revenue on tobacco
and maybe liquor. Why? Because We
drink and smoke ourselves, and the
cheaper we can get it the more we will
rink. Now am a smoker myself,
sorry to say, but / would rather see
more revenue put on tobacco than tax
en- off. Because ii is luxury, and any
man that will smoke or drink can afford
10 pay heavy for it. In other words, |
# he cannot afford to pay heavy for it |
ne ought to.
We will all admit that the United
States is q large country, and take all
parts together, is fine climate. But
what can we say about the highways?
Why, in winter they are more like a
swamp or mud hole than roads to travel
on. This was all..well enough years ago
when the country was poor and had not
cent in the treasury. But with eight
hundred millions Of dollars laying idlc
and more coming. to say they don't
known what to do with it is ridiculous.
Where is there country in the world
that has as poor highways as the United
States? It is not in old England, nor
Canada, nor Germany. There the gov
ernment makes good macademized
road SO that the farmer can at any time
of the year travel. But here people
living only short distance from town
will have to stay at home, because it
they leave home in the morning they
don't know that they will ever get back
again.
/ don't claim am alright on the
distribution of this money. but | can
give an idea, and | hope some one, for
the benefit Of the country. will advance
"a better one. But whatever it may be-
have the money put on the highways.
and let the revenue continue l wish
this disposal OF the surplus was left TO
the people. think they would be
unanimous in spending the money for
the public highways. Some will say
after it is divided that there won't be
much left after passing through SO
many hands. But is there not the same
danger in leaving it in the vaults at
Washington and other places? If when
it is divided we don't get much, let us
have the little. A half loaf is better
than no loaf at ali. wish could get
other peoples views on this matter.
But whatever views they have, dou't
decrease the revenue, but let us build
roads that we can travel on, winter sed
summer, and then the country life
would not be such dread in winter.