The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1892-06-16
WHO SHALL BUILD THEM,
Confined from LIST page.)

labor they can say to every man who
demands bread, ''obey the divine
mandate, 'by the sweat Of thy brow,
shalt thou eat bread and here is
your free and unquestioned
opportunity to earn and receive it..
Our country grows more prosperous
year by year. The accumulations of
riches are piling higher and higher.
Invention has harnessed to produc-
tion the dumb but mighty forces of
nature to make mans lot less toilsome
and hazardous. Yet still is heard
the cry Of want, and men walk the
streets Of our great cities and roam
the country lanes, ragged and hungry
self-respect and moral principle
influences Of the past, menace 10
the peace and order Of society The
optimist may lightly laugh over the
gravity Of the situation, and insist
that there is no danger; but if he has
sense, his whistling simply signifies
that he is trying to conceal his
uneasiness. The signs of the times
bOde mischief, and the clouds of the
future are muttering and sinister.
Who shall come to the rescue?
The manufacturer, the capitalist, the
churches, organized charities? These
instrumentalities, each in its particular
sphere, directly or indirectly aid in
the work Of improving the common
lot OF humanity; but they are power
less to adequately reduce any given
congestion in the ranks Of the
unemployed which the fluctuating
condition of the labor market may
precipitase upon the country with but
= moments warning. For my part
no Outcry against ''paternalism" can
shake my belief that it is proper
xnd expedient function of the general
government to see that no man within
the border Of the nation, of whose
affairs it has oversight and
management, shall be able to say,
IL beg Tor starve, or steaD because
] have no work by which to earn
bread" This is not an encouragement
Of a spirit Of dependence or
pauperism. 1t is move to Danish
hleness, to discredit beggary, to
make thievery more odious, and on
the other hand to promote industry,
s0briety, comfort and virtue. Christ
said to his disciples, "The poor you
have always with you" We will
always have an improvident class;
but it is cynical and unfeeling
philosophy that has no concern for the
pangs OF the hungry, excusing its
caliousness on the ground that the
cravings Of an empty stomach are
stimulus to labor. If we have hearts
Of flesh and blood instead Of stone,
the misfortunes Of the poor will
touch our sensibilities, whether these
have seemed to be self-invited or
unavoidable.
Then, would have our government
control our wagon and carriage road
system for q two-fold object:
Primarily, to give to the country
roads scientifically and durably built,
which should be of incalculable value
to the whole country in improving
and cheapening communication
between the farm and the market; and,
secondarily, to furnish safety value
to the labor market; giving ready
employment to the men most in need
OF help the moment they are thrown
out Of work, the unskilled class.
would not be understood as proposing
that the national government should
assume the entire burden of expense
Of the building, improvement and care
Of the wagon roads of the country.
In France and other foreign countries,
where wagon roads are maintained at
high state of perfection, the expense
Of the roads is shared by the general
government, by the state government,
by the country, and by the individual
whose property is adjacent to the
roadways. The plan is commonly
for the national government to
maintain roads connecting the
capitals, or those which are interstate
in character; the state builds and
keeps up state roads, and the smaller
subdivisions of country bear the
expense Of the intersecting by-roads
and lanes. Some equitable distribu.
ton Of the expense of this nature
could be adopted by us. The burden
ought not TO be borne as now mainly
by those whose property is
Immediately adjacent to the roadway