Mexico weekly ledger., 1892-11-17
NATIONAL AID IN ROAD BUILDING.
READ BEFORE THE ROADS IMPROVEMENT CONVENTION
HELD IN cnILLIooTHE NO. AUG. 1919. 1892.

than any other held within its borders for the nast onarter q
the remotest corners Of this, The greatest country on earth HI !
reached. We have assembled for the purpose ofdevising way
and means by which Il finer, more definite and better system
OF constructing roads may be reached. Roads are, to my mine
the great source and fountain of our prosperity and civilization
having had twenty'seven years of experience in Missouri muC
and clay l speak nnderstandingly and most deeply feel the i'm
There are three things that mark the civilization and pros
peltty OF any country; the first of which is good roads, mex
schools without roads to get to them. In my Judgment, tn,
are 'oiit is not of such vital importance as the means whereof,
to y Tor The same. As to plans aud material that depends up
means % prosecute the work, the same conditions confront u.
in al! localities. In this State, there is no lack of material oul
plenty of stone, in others gravel, others material out of which
of'n,nea bricks are made. SO 1t Is readily seen that the waul
OF atrrl Is no obstacle III the way of good roads. The prob
lem is how TO utilize this material already furnished by an All
TO do this properly will require a vast amount of labor.
Do you ask where are the laborers to come from9 / simr!y
refer you to the late census report. doubt not to adyertis.
for one thousand laborers to commence work at $50 per day.
Before one one week had passed there would be 100000, appica,
and seeking employment. With the blessings of Almighty
God upon this great State and the entire country, for the past
quarter of a century, aud with all the means, men and material
for the construction of roads, is it not a shame that the Nilsson
n mud and clay yet remains so thick that our very eyes have
been so blinded we have not seen our way clear by which this
much desired result might be brought about. For the raising
.. means tnere nave Deen many ways devised and proposed
the chief of which is by taxation. Some say amend the eonsti
this 1 object. Under our present system of taxation the agri
cultural portion OF our country is already too heavily burdened.
made, thus furnishing to the public the land, and then they and
their poster1ty annually paying taxes upon the same.
No do not favor such a system. Roads are for all
PIE and snno hence teet a ;. common nnon, good to all and being for all, does it
The sh section of the constitution of the q. S. reads as
"The Congress shall have power to regulate commerce with
foreign nations, and among the several states and among the
Indian tribes" And section 7 ITO establish post-oaices and
post roads" anu
ton Now Now. in n order adf ft to carry out the provisions of the constitu.
by w~hiclcommerce els regulatedg Surely no man will denn this
pr appTo There are three things necessary to carry on com
possible to carry on commerce without finance, for which the
fathers Wm made provision in language, as follows:
ArICle D. section D b" EnnprnSS hall baro
M regulate e the value thereof, and of foreign coin, and fix
create money is wisely delegated to Congress. and /" no pJ map 90 10
Sc. o men nave any right OF power to attempt the creation of
tere IN the regulation of commerce and terminate in the demon.
Aviation ana 10 OF the entire system or Constitutional provision. The
o second great instrument in carrying on commerce is
transportation, and here is the point to which I wish to call
The third and last means by which commerce is regulated
Is communication. and you are all well aware that government
second great function of government in the regulation of com
o %etst to a nea1 1he fa sommaDcs Of IF transportation tnn osaho She has endeav.
law, which has proven a failure. She has also for
the improvement of water transportation " Wheh has 1r q rpe wise for or
many cases been a total failure. l am told there has been
improve the Missouri river, " within ianao oue own n s she att ta + to
six turnpike roads through the entire State, and all. with
put httieo or no effect. These appropriations have been made
BY authority of the constitution and under the functions Of the
lending assistance to facilitate transportation. At present.
are three modes of transportation, water, rail and team.
by the general government in facilitating the transporta.
hon q ey t mater an and also by rail, in the past forty years. AID not
ne very source of transportation, for all the products of asr-
culture must first be transported by wagons to railroad points
mo steamboat landings before it can be further transpo, ed to
he great marts of trade.
but DO you ask. has the government a right to make r.
to build 70 1dss l answer most emphatrally yes.
nd L say, and say it fearless of successful Contradiction that
.no s me constitution of the o. S. in order to regulate com
aerce, congress mast control transportation and also provide
means for commo defence and general welfare of the neonio
sut 90 You ash, have such appropriations been nader | answer
es, oy the millions. In 1876 there was an appropngt ion Of
l,SOo,oO, made for the construction of the Cumberland road
nd year after year there were appropriations for the same pnr.
oese, and IN 1881 under Andrew Jackson, there was A ammo
Ration OF s1,2oOOoo for the further continuance of the Cum
erland road through Ohio and Indiana. There were annro-
riations made for road purposes under Presidents Jcnarrppnnoo
1 a Monroe, Adams, jackson and Van Buren,, and mp to
$50 they had appropriated over six millions of dollars.
In James Monroes 5th annual message, he said "Conoress
al unlimited power to raise money and appropriate the same
u the general good" and in his opinion they had a riaht to
a superintendent of the Cumberland road and make
pproprlatlons to keep the same in repair, which was done.
1T was constitutional to appropriate money for the building
r. roads ID a. at That time, it is equally so to-day, for the Constita
on, IN TINS respect remains unchanged. What are the c,ncIn-
Since 1888 to the present a period of54 years, more than
halt century, has naaSad AWAY uifhont oa M4 lII-:--