Mexico weekly ledger., 1891-01-15

limited supply of money by which the
commerce of the country has been
moved and the values of its products
regulated is to be attributed to the
policy of the national government, and
the state legislatures are powerless to
provide q remedy. The farmers of
the country who have suffered most
in consequence of these unjust dis
examinations seem to have become
thoroughly aroused, he says, to real
ization of their burdens and are MAX
ing concerted and intelligent efforts to
correct the evils from which they suf-
fer. Their endeavors, so long as they
lie within the limita hons of the Or
ganic law of the commonwealth and
the nation, merit the encouragement
and assistance of all fair-minded men.
In bettering the condition of those
who contribute SO materially toward
the States wealth, and Importance,
the Governor says, all wise measures
will meet his approval. The Governor
favors the Australian ballot system
for the entire state, and says the lew
imperfections in the law as it now
stands can be remedied without inn
pairing its good features.
TOO MANY CORPORATIONS.
Corporations were created by the
State to serve good purposes, and in
many instances perform offices of pub
lie benefit and necessity that individ-
uals would not, or could not accom-
plish. 1t was never intended by the
founders of our government, however,
that corporations should usurp or sup
plant the functions of a citizen or re-
lieve him of personal responsibilities,
nor is it promotive of commonwealth
that they should. The cooperative
avs of Missouri are superior in many
respects to those of our sister States,
but it is claimed, and on good grounds,
that the too frequent practice Of form
ing private corporations forthe purpose
of engaging in undertakings which
are proper objects for individual en-
deavor is perversion of the spirit OF
those laws and will result, if permit
ted to continue, in great injury to he
State. If the custom of incorporating
business enterprises to the extent that
it is now followed in mercantile and
other pursuits were carried into the
field of agriculture, the result would
be that large bodies of land would be
owned by companies and titled by
tenantry. The ownership would not
then be vested in him who cultivated
the land and the home preserved
| would be less dear to him who occu.
pied it. The best incentive to good
citizenship would thereby be eradicat.
ed and patriotism would be subdued
| if not extinguished.
THE NEED OF BETTER ROADS.
II know of nothing that would be
more beneficial to the State than 8
comprehensive system of rock roads
The wagon road is the farmers rail.
road, the avenue through which all
his products are carried to market, land
| upon its maintenance and use the
prosperity of the two depends. The
present law authorizes the construc.
| ton of macadamized roads, but it has
not been taken advantage of to the
extent that the interests of our peo.
pie demand. Most of the roads
throughout the State are impossible
for many months in the year and usu.
ally at seasons when their use is mosl
desirable to the farmer. 1 am con.
| vinced that the welfare of our people
would be greatly enhanced and the
general prosperity of the State mate.
rally accelerated if some plan could be
devised whereby the construction oi
rock roads would be made obligatory
upon every county in the State. Il
material aid could be extended from
the State treasury within the limits oi
the constitution believe the expendi.
ture would be wise one, and that the
cities and sections which have already
| 3e .i1SAi S"h ga PCai1C EtSsht ah'
| vancement in this direction would
cheerfully bear their portion of the
burden. The aid should be extended
only. however, on the condition that
the county and the property owners In
the districts where the roads are 10.
Gated would contribute sufficient ad.
| dional means to insure their construc.
ton.
There is one feature of the present
law which could be amended to ad-
| vantage, and that is the payment Of
road tax by individual labor. If il
were supplanted by system of pri-
| vate contracts much better roads
would result without any increased
expenditure. 1t is sincerely to be