St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1893-07-29
COZ. popE's APPEAL.


COZ. POPE'0 APPEAL.
New = IL RssAs q the senate Commit
tee - Agriculture.
The following is . copy of the lette
addressed to Senator Hoar by Col. A. A.
Pope. Of Boston, relative to the condi
tion Of roads In the farming districts
Mr.. Hoar had the document read II
open session Of the senate, and It va.
then referred to the committee on q
riculture which, we trust, will act OF
Its suggestions:
Permit me to call your attention r.
the resolution passed by the senate,
April last directing the committee on
agriculture and forestry to investigate
the condition Of the agricultural inter.
ests Of the United States. aud. il found
depressed, n ascertain the causes and
inquire into the proper remedy.
Il beg leave to suggest that one OF
the most potent causes Of the depres-
sion Of the agricultural interests of the
country is the wretchcd roads Of the
farming districts.
AT the twelfth annual session of the
National Farmers' congress of the
United States, held 1t Lincoln, Neb,
November 2.-24, 1892, it was stated:
Ihrou1hout the country economical road i'm
provemant would save tRsa0n0W per year in
the transportation OF farm products alone.
There would be other financial gains. BY per.
Knitting The farmer to market good part Of his
surplus during the winter and early spring. in
stead of his being compelled 70 market is near
~ all while field work II possible. two million
OF the twenty million draft animals In the coun
try could Be- dispensed with. and these two
million animals are worth slso,oo1 olo while to
feed them for one year costs o. 10000
Among other advantages OF good roads over
poor ones are that heavier loads can be drawn
and drawn faster. and the difference in the sell
Ing price Of produce, II carried In wagon ovel
. smooth ROAD for one hour. and the same prod
uce carried over rough road for three hours
Is the difference. ofsentimes. between profit
and loss.
ALLOW me to remind you that high.
ways and turnpike roads have repeated
". been the subject of investigation in
parliament, and the report Of . com
mittee of the house of commons in 1911
contains much that may be applied To-
day to the subject Of roads in the
United States:
The many important advantages 10 be DE-
rived from amending the highways ami turn
pike roads Of the kingdom need hardly to be
dwclt upon. Every Individual In Il would
thereby ind his comforts materially incre ased
and hts interests greatly promoted By the
improvement Of our roads every branch Of our
Agricultural. commercial and manufacturing
would be materially benefited
Every article brought to our market would be
diminished In price: the number OF horses
would be 20 much reduced that By these and
>thes retrenchments the expense Of I'VE million
poundsD would be annually saved to the pub
tc. The expense OF repairing roads ana the
rear and tear OF carriages and horses would |
,e essentially diminished: and thousands Of |
lcres, the produce OF which n now wasted In
eeding unnecessary horses, would be devoted /
Q the production Of food for man. In short !
he public and private advantages which would |
Ssult from enectins that great object-the i'm |
OF our highways and turnpike roads |
are Of the greatest value. though from their |
'cing spread over wide surface. and available |
various ways such advantages will not be /
o apparent as those derived from other /
ources al improvement Of . more restricted /
nd less general nature.
Permit me to further remind you
hat the Massachusetts, highway com.
in its report recently sub
nitted to the legislature, stated that
he annual loss to the commonwealth
rom bad roads is at least Is, 000, 90,
nd that this sum would be sufficient
0 place in good condition the principal
highways of the state. The cost of .
Dad built on scientific principles in
Many cases is less than that of . road
on unscientiac principles,
nd the cost Of the maintenance Of q
God road is trifling compared with the
ost of maintaining . poor one. /
The bill making appropriation for
he agricultural department for the
seal year ending June 50, 1894, con-
Inns clause relative to investigating
ne best methods of roadmalxinR
the United States, but this
ause does not empower the secretary
} investigate and report upon the
advantages of good roads to
'e farmers, nor upon the burdens that
e laid upon agricultural interests by
I'd roads; therefore. permit me TO sug-
1T that subcommittee be appointed
I'd be instructed to make IN extended
mr. throughout this country for the
lrpose Of investigating and reporting
ION the subject Of wagon roads in re-
ton to the agricultural interests of
e country, because bad roads are the
rect cause Of hundreds Of millions Of
liars being annually lost TO the farm [,
z communities"