The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1892-12-01

W ldt pICtCuChSo CIV
for national aid in such a mat
teri" asked.
at is true that the national
aid in roadmaking involves a
wide departure from present
practice, but is only a return to
the ideas Of sixty years ago, and
az We become more familiar
with it, it may become more
acceptable to US. People will
not fail to ask why they should
not use the general credit for
the general welfare rather than
burden themselves, their chill
dren and their children's chill
dren with a double rate of in
terest. The general welfare is
the essence of a national objec
tive, and in this regard road
making stands pre-eminent.
Concern in its results is univer-
sal and equal. Every producer
and every consumer of farm
products will profit financially
by good roads, while the result
ing social and political advan-
tages will accrue to all alike.
To bind the republic together
with roads and canals was de-
clared to be the duty of the ma
tional government by those in
authority in it's early days.
That duty has been sadly neg
lected of late, and is now de-
MED in toto by statesmen who
do not hesitate to warp the con-
stitution itself in many other
direction. These gentlemen
and the writer's who support
them are doing infinite harm to
the government by narrowing
its powers in this regard. A
government is known by it's
works, and is respected or de-
spised at home and abroad &C
cordingly as it is capable or in
efficient III the vital concerns of
national life. Our system will
soon be put to the crucial test,
for public opinion will demand
some action in the matter. If
we fail where all other nations,
monarchical and republican,
have succeeded, great will be
the failure of the great repub-
lie and the blame must fall up
on those who have departed
from the faith of the fathers. "
"What are those objections
you allude to-"
"Some DIRECTORS say the ex-
ercise of this power would be
dangerous even if constitution.
al; that it leads toward state
ownership Of railroad and Uele-
graphs, fiat money, State loans
on farms and products and So
cialism generally, but as we
have seen national road making
benefits all the people, and all
equally, while it is contended
that cheapening money, on the
other hand robs Peter TO pay
Paul and aids the borrower and
producer at the cost of the lend
er and consumer while it tends
to despoile the thrifty Of their
accunulations, the poor of their
savings, the laborer Of his hire
and the pensioner of his pitt
ance. National loans on farms
and products would be even
more unequal and unjust bene-
fitting none but the borrowers
and only one class of these,
while lowering the power Of all
money in possession to earn
money or to purchase necessi-
ties, compelling savings insti-
tutions to lower interest rates
and obliging all people with
fixed incomes, salaries or wa
ges to cut down their modes of
living. Though the same OBJ
jectiOns do not attach to State
ownership Of railroads and tel
egraphs, and there is much to be
said in favor of the latte, as an
adjunct to the postal system,
yet questions of vested rights,
of over payment or compulsory
sale, and, Of political dangers
from a vast and sudden trans
formation of operatives into Of
flee holders, may we'll make us
pause as to both. The common
roads once built need no opera
tive force and only a very small
one for maintenance and no
vested rights will be disturbed
nor CO mpulsion used where
oh 4.