The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1891-03-18

And lie said further: Ono chief cause of
the badness of tho roads was the defect
i've state OF the law. Every parish was
bound TO repair tho roads which pass
through it, and thus n sparse and i'm
poverished rural population was com
PEELED TO maintain highways between
Rich and popllous towns"
I'm this respect" continued Gen.
Stone. 1--WE are jast where England was
200 years ago. England met the diff
Guilty by the establishment OF tu-npikes
with tolls, and $1,000 miles of these
roads had been built in Mncanlay's day.
The turnpike system does not seem,
however. to meet tho approval of our
people, and something else must be de-
Wis d. Such Being the case. have sug-
gcsted u national plan. which, though
new in the form suggest it, is not real
| ly n new question IN our national poll
tics. It was n most vezed question in
the days of our grandfathers. and its
eonstitutionnliiy was defended upon the
ground that congress had n right To pro-
vide for the common defense and also to
establish post roads. In France, where
are found perhaps the best roads in the
/ world, tho minister of public works has
charge of all roads. These roads are
national or vicinal. OF tho first there
arc % ,Ooo miles, and these arc entirely
Inaiutained from the national treasury
The vicinal CT cross roads are maintain
| ed chiefly by the various comlnunes"
What do you think of Governor Hills
Suggestions to the New York le;,isla-
turc!' asked.
'They are admirable. and SO far as New
York state is concerned they, il embod-
led in Laws. might answer the purpose
very well. But for New York, in a
measure, and for most other states to a
greater extent his plan would he :, much
more costly one to the taxpayers than
my broader 'aethol. The national gov
ernment has had for some time and is
likely to have under our laws large
surplus. This surplus could be lent to
the states ut - very much lower ratio of
interest than any of these states could
borrow money from the public Ny
plan rs Mt first outlined was this:
II. National financing. to secure the lowest
ratio Of interest. unifor:a In all the states, and
longest term OF repayment.
-: state contrUl cf disbursement under some
form OF national supervision; n permanent Or
gani.Gtion Of trained experts. etc.
- Local option for each local application of
the scheme.
-. Equitable distribution OF the iatcrest
charge between the nation, .tatc and district
and u locai adjustment In tho latter according
to benefits directly conferred.
''This plan ainplifie1.r said Gen Stone.
would be TO this effect:
81. DccI ,rc nil mail routes post roads.
- Establish u bureau Of POST roads in the dc
part:ncnt OF tt,c Interior.
-. Whenever any state shall have adopted
tho necessary legislation, and provided the
machinery Ter awaiting i: self OF national aid,
let it apply 10 tho bureau q post roads for n
joint survey of any lost roal within It's limits
which 1t desires Improved. and q plIa for the
Improvement of tic snInc. the state providing
for any relocation of tho road that may 10 adj
vantasco1s-
~. Tho statc TO execute such under s,,per-
vision OF the ifnitod States bureau.
'5 Tho United States to pay the cost of i'm
provcrncnt.
III The state - pay per cent. per nnnum on
such cost and two-thirds Of the amount ut q
Gnalty.
-. The Unitcl State, bureau to prepare plans
for q national school OF roGls aud bridges
80. Local labor. IL available, to b. riycn the
preference In all suc,a i:n provc:acnts
-. Tho United States To have the OPTION of
making oil payments for such improvements
In silver coin.
"Or if this plan be looked upon ut pres
emit as impracticable or too great an in
novatior." said no, ''let there be a ma
tional commission appointed to look into
the subject and report its conclusions
from time to time"
What nro post roadsg'' asked.
"Al public rot. y arc post routes and
all roads leading TO county towns are
post roads All post routes (by wagon
road) could be made post roads, and
thus any road in tho country coull be
made a national road. IF, however, only
the actual mail routes, by wagon, were
declared post roads there would be 2oo,-
900 miles subject to Improvement under
the provision Of tho constitution to
establish post roads"
what amount could be prcfitably ex-
pended in this manner
There is hardly any limit to this.
But u mile of good macadam can he
built for 1900. If we should have 1OG.-
900 miles of such roads tho cost would
be $3.50, 0oo,o 600. If this should 10 done
in fifteen years it would only cost $50
000, COO per year"
"And how would you raise this mon
eyy"
"If the surplus in the treasury were
not adequate why could not the $780,
600. 900 of silver be earning interest In
some such way. But this is a question
for the financiers. not for the engineers.
am convinced. however. if the silver
plan werc feasible the road building
would absorb large quantities Of silver
coin and retain it, and the money would
be applied Us financial relief where it is
most needed-thatis is, among the farmers.
1t would go right to tho spot of want
and dissatisfaction and work its way
up. Now. any and all relief goes to the
money centers, and must work its way
dnxx-r. with c--ark IsfS.,,1k,. ,,.l zzSk A.
thosc vino need it rac:t."
HOLES MADE nY LIGHTNING.