The record-union., 1893-10-04
GOVERNOR FLOWERS PLAIN
TALK.

About ten days ago Governor Flower
of New York delivered an address before
the Agricultural Fair Association of Or
leans County at the annual exposition
the Governor addressed the farmers di-
rectly, referring to the twenty miles of
experimental roads now under construc-
ton by the State as object lessons for the
Supervisors of all the counties of the En-
pire State. He told his hearers that while
farmers are the chief benefciaries in the
matter of permanent road construction,
he had discovered that they are also the
chief objectors because of an absurd fear
that the cost is not compensated by the
results.
He said that the State of New York
spends annually over $780, 900 in money
and labor upon her non-permanent high
ways, or an average of $50, 900 county a
year. Now, said the Chief Executive, if
the counties would build their roads at
once, and permanently, so as to call for
only the minimum of expenditure for
maintenance, less than $4,000 a year
would provide for the interest and the
fund for redemption, of sum sufficient
to construct in each county 40 miles of
practically indestructible roads.
The Governor then reminded his hear
ers of certain knowledge possessed by
each one of them, to wit:
Every farmer knows that bad roads some
times keep him from town when prices of
grain are high. Every farmer knows how
much larger q load his team would pull II the
roads were hard and smooth. Every farmer
knows what q considerable item in his annual
expenses is the repair OF wagons and harness.
Every farmer knows how much more 1t costs
10 keep three or four horses instead of one or
two as he might with equal service with a
system of good roads. Every farmer knows
that his farm would increase in value if by
good highways it could be brought into speedy
communication with village or city. All
these things our farmers know, and they
know that the sum of these pecuniary al
vaptages in favor OF good roads would vastly
outweigh the cost OF procuring them.
1t is said that the speech of the Gov
ernor produced marked effect, and op-
position to the good road system, that
had heretofore been strong, was greatly
reduced in consequence.
The Governor of the Empire State put
the matter into nutshell. but he might
have gone on and have shown by log
ical process of reasoning that since these
benefits are possible of acquisition by the
use of capital thus secured, the failure to
so use it really amounts to dead loss.
That is to say, what we see we can by the
exercise of financial sense avail of to our
benefit, and refuse to embrace, having
the capacity to do or not to do, is actual
output and waste
To state the case in another way. Il
one has presented to him the opportunity
to certainly gain by given expenditure
and he declines to accept the offer be-
cause it will require certain payment OF
interest, though the benefits exceed the
rental cost of the means to be employed,
he really pays the interest without enjoy
ing the benefits he might secure.
1t is an excellent rule to pay as you go
but in great concerns this is very often
impossible because present payment
would be greater punishment than de-
ferred payment, punishment which
would prove destructive by compelli ne
resort to means that would cucumber
ones estate hopelessly. On the other
hand. where rental of capital can be made
more profitable by the use of the money
than will the economy of doing without
its use, it is the part of wisdom to rent
1t is lever IN such cases that enables one
to lift the rock from the road that other.
wise would perpetually block the way.