The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-08-15


duction, to divide the saving with the
purchaser. II / am engaged in the
manufacture Of wooden shoes and by
some new invention AIN enabled to save
ten cents on each pair make, pocket
Eve cents of this new profit and charge
five cents less pair for the shoes l sell,
thus putting the other five cents into the
pocket of the wooden shoe buying pub
lie. Ny five cents makes me happy and
the other i've cents makes the wooden
shoe buying public happy. It would be
the same way with the farmer. If he
were enabled through the medium OF
good roads to raise and market his wares
at less cost than he does now, he would
be willing to sell them for less price
than he does now. He would divide his
new profits with his customers. In that
way the people who eat what he farmer
Fqaises would be able to Baltimore at
smaller cost. So good roads would be a
distinct blessing to people who live In
the towns.
But somebody or other says that both
the profits would be more than annihi-
lated by the money which both recipi-
ents would have to pay out in taxes to
build the roads, which is nonsense. Not
very many years ago women were max
ing their husbands shirts by hand. All
the outfit they had to own wasa tumble,
thread and needle, worth in all ten
cents. By and by some smart fellow in
vented the sewing machine and put it
on the market. 1t cost then at least
fifty dollars, which was $1,000 mora
than the other arrangement cost, but
did any one cry out that the sewing
machine wouldn't pay because it was
more expensive than the old symphonies!
Not to speak of. The women could
make twice as many shirts in the same
length of time in the new way as they
could in the old way, and make them
twice as wei, They didn't have to
spend that fifty dollars on every shirt.
it furnished means for making 1900
shirts if the husband required that
many. Therefore the sewing machine
came in and the other things went out.
1t would be the same with good roads.
The farmer could trot his horses where
now he has to walk them land himself
besides to lessen their load) and could
therefore haul many more loads in
many less hours than he can in this age
Of enforced procrasttnation and pro-
family, and save time and his soul stimuli
taneously.
The good roads would pay for them
selves Just as the sewing machines have,
and just as every other labor saving and
progressive device has from the time OF
Shem, Ham and Japheth up.
Moreover, to use the sewing machine
as an illustration is doing an injustice to
the roads, for while it is certain that the
sewing machine cost more than the old
thread, needle and thimble, it is by no
means sure that good roads would cost
more than our present primitive path
ways do. In fact, careful investigation
has proved that in some states more en-
ergy land energy is really money in its
primary form) s.expended on the exist
ing wretched highways than would be
required to build and maintain roads as
much better by comparison as the tele-
graph is better than the old pony post.
am saying something which hun
dred men have said before and proved,
too, when remark that each man who
works out his road tax If each year on our
present abominabae highways were paid
for his labor in the coin of the realm,
the expenditure would soon amount TO
enough to macadanize and keep in good
condition every inch Of road that Is now
bepuddleized and kept in bad condition
And the difference between good and
bad reads in the United States meant
more than the difference which would
come in the profits Of the plowmer
and the expenses Of the urban residents
It would mean the difference between
enforced social stagration and possible
social activity in the country. In thu
winter, the only season when the farmer
and their wives and daughters have time
enough to see each other and talk to and
exchange views with each other, thus
getting the benefit from each other thai
Intercourse with his kind always gives
| to man, they are menaced by mud ev.
cry time they appear upon their door
steps and kept at home whether the.
like it or Tot. If the roads were good
| there would be no mud to brighter
them.
But setting aside all these things, W.
ought to have good roads as matter Of
national pride. France has them, Ger.
many has them. England has them
Belgium has them, and even little Switz.
erland has them; while we, who pal
ourselves ON our backs and assure our
selves that we are che most progressive
people on the footstool, SIT patiently ano
contentsaly in the bottom Of bog aod
GRIN out out our sii1y SELF ar Sl anns;ng IN .
neighbors across the water.
Let us either stop the smile or move
mp out Of the nire.
EDWARD MARSHALL.
H.