The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1891-12-31
GOOD ROADS. ~... y
(Fron the Gospel Of Good. Roads. ~

o0ss"eV ut0 WOJK ~ tho barn, 10 sat
together and smoked. I thought It
Wss good time to talk with Hubmire
about the roads; % suggested to him
that he could do all his blowing and
fssm work with two horses, and that
u there was . GOOD hard road running
down to the village he might do all his
seamtn9 without adding to that num-
ber; that he was now f.ediue tiye
horses when two or three ought to be
enough.
Nov don't, = said Hubmire. don't
se!t mo I've got Zoo many horses; I
ehink I knov = thing or two shout
U! min, and I tell you I hsint rot
1orses snoagh. Ny bay team win haul
smashin' good load Of hay to town
any day. aud that's all any mans
eeamnl do. I tell you I ain't askin'
Tor better roads than we've got right
here In this township" Hubmire
thinks good deal of himself and 10
hard man to convince. He never takes
. drink at the town pump without
hr't rinsing tho dipper, inside and
OUT Aid In matters of argument he Is
just 40 cautious not to be contamina-
ed BY suspicious ideas. But I like
Hubmire. We've had many u good
DAYS hunt together in old times, and
I've always found him 4 Rood CON-
panion and humane sportsman. He
10 IN honest man and good husband.
and there's always hope for man like
that.
8" kept up the fight. said to him:
uubmiro, you are wrong. 1 know
you keep good horses; there are none
better in the country; everything about
your farm Is In the best condition, and
there isn't a farmer in the country
who has done more hard work In the
last twenty years than you have done.
Everything that you have found to Ike
value to the farmer you have added to
your possessions, and il could show
you that a good road is one thing nee
essary to improve your prosperity you
would be tho loudest preacher for i'm
proved roads in this State. In spite
Of all your hard work you are not clear
ct debt There is y mortgage on your
farm that draws interest nigh, and
day; 1t eats into your prosperity; there
to s"meting wrong with you and with
all your neighbors. Farming is no
longer as prosperous as it was in times
gone by. The population Of our agri-
cultural DISTRICT is less than it was ten
years ago;the mortgage Indebtedness Of
American farms is increasing at the
rate IT about eight and half millions
0f dollars per year. and the decrease in
farm values since 1850 is estimated at
SNOWO,0O0. In the sihgle state Of
Ohio this loss amounted to about s.
per acre for the entire State and there
are other States where the proportion
shows still worse condition of affairs.
The country is losing aud the towns
are gaining; the farmers are growing
p''orer; the government is growing
richer. Every minute. night and day,
the United States Government cole cts
$l78 more than il spends. Think of it.
Ten thousand six hundred and eighty
six dollars per hour; $256, 2sO per day;
$7.6; $4,000 per month; 500, $50 800 per
year. Something is wrong. 1t is not
20 in other countries. have been
looking 1t up, and have at home re-
ports from more than twenty European
countries relating to their internal
affairs. In those countries the farmers
prosper iu about the same proportion
that prosperity follows other lines of
business; agriculture holds its own,
oed there 10 no more independent clyss
Of people ia those countries than the
farmers"
Nov, singularly enough. the most
striking difference between these
countries and ours is found in the con.
dttion OF the country roads. With
them communication is easy and quick
ly accomplished. Their governments,
instead Of rolling up and boarding =
ridiculous surplus, spends large sums
In the building and repairing of the
country roads. The result Is that in
Europe the farmers drive twenty to
thirty miles from home to market with
immense loads, IN all kinds Of weather
1t all the SEASONS Of the year, and re-
turn home the same day. A European
horse hauls twice ~ much as m Ameri-
s+aeaa aseFee, simply because tho roads
ase much better. He can visit his
neiehbors vt any time; drive to town:
make social calls aud enjoys all tho
personal advantages Of y resident In
tho city and still maintain the ind e.
pendence aud pleasures of country
life.''
'Nonseose," said Hubmire, I'D
like to see the fsiryland you're talking
about. have got five ~ good horses
~ ever pulled strap, and know how
tatsks care of them. don't drive to
town excepting when tho roads are
good, and then, for hauling loads, my
horses won't take back seat for any
man."
''Hubmire. ." said I. with some i'm
patience. II sec We can never agree on
this question till We settle one im-
portant difference. You say you never
drive to town until the roads arc good.
Now, leaving out the fact that you are
LOSING Dlontv Of 1on6 TINA vhila vn,,