The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1893-01-21

State is a very important one, the conrsr
ton lately assembled in Baltimore
having ably and exhauSlingly discussed
all m alters pertaining to that question,
no comment is needed here. further than
that this club has taken no part i'll the
movement. Why?
II conclusion | will say that were gold
and silver as plentiful as tue grains OF
sand in the great desert OF Sahara, and
the pearls aud diamonds OF India az
numerous as the leaves OF the forest, the
price of Que bushel Of grain would not
be enhanced, if from uperabundaoce
it could not be used for any purpose.
Like Esop's fables, moral may he
hidden in this sweeping assertion. lie
that runneth may read.
Comment oa the essay being iu order,
Mr.. Sutton said, that he had hoped that
Col. Bond would have discussed the
road question more at length.
Mr.. Gillespie said, he agreed with Mr..
Bond as to the necessity of restricting
immigration, and expressed his gratifica-
tion, at hearing the essay.
Mr. Magraw said he thought there
should be some restriction of immigra-
ton, but thought it should not involve
absolute prohibition. There was great
necessity to have good migrants, and
the dependence of all of us upon that
class of labor is growing greater every
day.
Mr.. Wilson agreed with Mr.. Magraw,
that our general dependence upon imi-
grafton for labor, would prevent ia his
opinion absolute restriction. That, he
thought would prove detrimental to all
| interests. Mr.. Wilson thought that if a
reasonable proportion of the monies now
appropriated to open the navigation OF
rivers, harbors and creeks, were diverted
by the general government for the i'm
proyement OF roads in the states, It
would be money much more judiciously
spent.
Col. Noyes conceded that the law of
supply and demand generally controlled
prices, but there was another cause affect
ing prices of grain, viz, the restriction of
our circulating medium to gold basis, or
| in other words the contraction OF the cur
rency of the country. Asthis contraction
has Increased, the prices of grain have
diminished. The fact is undeniable.
| The reason is owing to the fact that the
price of every commodity is largely con-
! trolled by the amount of money in cir
culation, the amount upon gold basis
| being too small.
On the subject of roads, he thought
there should be 10 extra appropriation
| for them, uatil a re assessessment of the
property 10 the State is made.
Mr.. Carson agreed with Mr.. Bond
upon the immigration question, that the
| cholera was preferable to the scum of
Europe. He thought the time was ripe
| for general movement for better roads.
He agreed with Mr.. Bond in tho idea
cause of the depression in agricultural
| products.
Nr. Michnsr fiv,rai res5cicSst immi
| grafton, knowing how dependent farmers
were en- foreign labor. In his neighbour
hood it was almost Impossible to hire a
native born man to work on the farm
He spoke of his experience in hiring
foreign ''help" in Philadelphia. 1t
resulted favorably as well as uufavor
ably, but no did not see how farmers
could do without it. AS to roads he
realized the necessity of their permanent
improvement, but thought it could not
be done until taxation was equalized.
Mr.. Mccullough deprecated the
amounts of money taken from the people
in the shape of taxes, aud misspsnt on
the public roads. That the money was
not spent on them, and the system must
be changed to insure any permanent
improvement OF the public highways.
Mr.. Thos. G. Bond thought there was
necessity for restricting immigration. AS
to the improvement OF public roads. he
thought the suggestion of Mr. Wilson a
good one, viz, that the general govern.
ment should divide the public appro-
priation now expended on rivers and
harbors, among the States, as a basis for
the formation Of permanent fund for
road construction.
Mr.. r. f McClenahan speaking of
the necessity Of better public roads, as
involving the interests of the farmer
spoke of the road league recently formed
at Darlington IN Hartford county. The
members had secured good road by an
offer m ede to the county authorities, to
spend au equal amouOt with them in
making permanent road bed, the con-
struction Of the road being under con-
troll of the league. The proposition had
been accepted by the County Commits,
sioners eff that county, and in the
vicinity of Darlington, fire reads have
been secured. He thought the method
adopted by the Darlington Road League
could be protitably followed ia this
county.
Mr.. Wilson called attention to the
same method having been adopted il
this county. From Ssmuc! Browns
store to Symar $l000-had been spent in
piking. $600-of which the County Com
missiorers contributed, aud the property
owners on the line Of the road $500. The
distance is about ono bali milo. On the
road from Rising Sun west to Harrisvills
as well as east the same method o.
mutual appropriations b. propertYholders
and the County Commissioners had beer
adopted.
MIR Sutton submitted tho following
excerpt from the remarks of Mr.. Henry
w. Williams in the recent road convsn
ton held IL Baltimore.
Mr.. Henry W. Williams spoke on thu
Economic Side OF the Road Question
His address was in part as follows:
we wish good roads we must put our
hands into our pockets and pay for them
a good road requires two things:
must be properly drained; it must bt
properly metalled. Experts agree tina
the cost of properly reconstructing a
county road 80 feet wide is $4,000
mile. But it is not necessary to meta
all roads 30 feet wide. For the ordinar
, road 10 feet is sufficient, whia 70
others 16 to 20 feet would answer. Il
this way the average could possibly b;
reduced TO 81 500 mile.