The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1893-11-09
A MATTER OF FINANCE.
Constructio Of Good Il Roads ValuaDlo for
Both Labor and Capital

Constru Ction of Good II oads ValuaDlo for
Both Labor and Capital.
At the recent convention of the
American Bankers Association in Chi
cago, Judge f. Ii. rhayer, of Cllnton,
| Ia, delivered Ii an address upOn the sub
ject Of goods roads. Mr.. Thayer con-
sidered the subject of good roads as n
matter of finance. In the main no
said:
All civilized and eml-barbarous ma
tiuns recognize the fact that the la
borer must have employment. Wars
have been waged to give idle men
something to do. This republic by en-
gagiug in legitimate enterprises alone,
has been able to furnish employment
to it's great mass of workingmen. But
has not this continent come face to
face with the labor problem which the
Old world has sought in vain to solve
for crnturiesp Have not the larger
enterprises, such as railroads, mines,
| and the leading Industries nearly
| reached the limit of their capacity and
proIitabeneSs? While the nation NAV
continue to prosper and grow i'm
wealth and population IS it not reach
ing that pOlut when something besides
he ma ural course Of things is essen
tial 70 furnish employment to labor?
AS the country energies from the cris-
Is which has left a mass Of meritorious
workingmen on the shoals In compul-
sorry iuleneSs and made their lot the
most ,mendurable of all who have suf.
fered FROM the business depression the
great truth confrOnts us that the prob
lem now to solye Is how best to fur
nish them employment.
| In .l.,irI To II,
your association 4 solutiOn of the uues
'ion in its entirety. believe the plan
that | have to suggest is Of that feast
hle nature that IL can be carried Out to
accomplish grand results in that direc.
ton. Conservative and reliable StatIs-
tIcianS estimate the cost of bad roads
IN this country at more than S25Oy0OO..
OUO per year. This vast sum somebody
must lose. Probably is divided quite
equally among All the people in prOpor-
ton to each individuals expenditures.
For this reason 1t is no less a loss, and
for this reason the necessity IS all the
greater for stopping the loss. Add to
scheme for saving that amount,
another for furnishing employment to
the idle million, and here is a project
worthy the advanced civilization Of the
age.
IT. is not question of increased tax
alton, but one of using to the best ad
vantage the money annually contrib
nted by the people for road purposes.
III Is W'th'' hounds to put the sum
spent each year II the maintenance of
country roads at $50, 100000. Asarule
the 9SO,OO0,000 goes each year to keen
company with the $25O,OOO,OOO de-
voured by mud. Undertaken at an
early day in twenty-five years every
mile of road commonly used by the
public and made th0roughfare by
law, save perhaps in the thinlv-settled
portion Of some Of the far Western
States or In the more mountainous re-
glons, could be built with stone or
gravel made durable and permanent.
always in condition every day In the
week upon which full wagon load of
produce or merchandise could be hauled
and without the payment of dollar
additional tax. Skillful flnanciering
and intelligent investment of the taxes
now paid will do this and the cost.
principal and interest be liquidated in
side OF hye years, putting the rate of
interest at 3x per cent. Employment
Will be furnished the surplus labor of
the land and the money Of the people
kept in circulation, and unprecedented
thrift and prosperity go hand in hand
with the prosecution of the work, fol-
lowed by perpetual benefits to every
business interest. This plan, ombody,
ing the borrowing Of money on bonds
issued by counties or their Bubdivi
sions. will meet with but slight oppo
s1tion when the voter Is convinced tha
the money will be bejudiciously and econ
omically expended; that it does no
mean increase Of taxation and vii
bring expected results. With the plar
now In vogue no person can look aheaC
to the time when there shall be les:
taxes levied for road purposes thar
now. Continue to collect the amount
annually levied and use it as is now
the custom in all the States and In sev,
enty-tive years there will be no more tC
show for the taxes paid than there is
now to show for the taxes paid in the
last seventy-llve years.
Nor do l see any reason why the
State should not contribute something
TO each mile Of road built within its
limits. l would not, however, have
either the government or the State
build the roads. This should be done
by the counties or their subdivisions
permitting the intervention of the
State SO tar as necessary to secure the
State contribution.
The time Is rapidly approaching
when the saving made by good roads
may be essential for stopping the dis
NAL cry of "overproduction" and ena-
ble America to continue to furnish
food and raiment to foreign countries
Rob mud Of the millions 1t levips on
the people and conduct that vast sum
into the pockets of the farmer, the
wage.earner, the producer and the
consumer and the republic will add to
its annual resources d wealth equal To
one half the mineral products of the
land. With good roads traversinp
every school district and leading to the
village and towns the serious question
how to prevent the depopulatlon Of
he country and the congestion of the
cities will be settled to the advantage
and welfare OF every interest known to
a American genius and American enter
prise.
Close of the Fair,
CHICAGO, Oct 30-The Worlds Fair
has ended. This evening was to have
been one of gayety and dazzling brilli.
ancy, but the death of Mayor Harrison
chaased eli shat The total paid attend
nENxa a -