The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1893-12-20

good, hard, well-made road, such as
they possess in Europe, he could
easily haul one hundred bushels
with the same team. wagon and
harness.
In. the petition, above referred ia
the getter-up Of 1t would have the
money given 70 each state -pro-rata
with the number of miles OF road in
each state. This I take exception
co: because states like Texas or Wy
oming with an immense area and
scattered population, would absorb
more then they would be Justly en-
|. titled to.
IL seems to me that division Of
such money should be based upon
! the number Of cultivated farms
and the amount Of their productions
as ascertained by the U. S. census.
The social aspect of the good roads
question is very important.
The life Of the American farmer
is TOO Isolated for the mental and
ply sical well-being Of himself and
family. Man is gregarious crea-
turc: his nature demands contact
with his fellow man. With a sys-
tenn OF good roads, intercourse and
Fellowship with his brother farmers
would act upon him as stimulus to
improvement in his condition and
encourage him to organize for better
protection against the many evils
that affiict him, and keep him in
poverty. In this age no industry
can long exist without organization.
The government OF this country
owes it to the farmer to help him
in every way to improve his condi-
tion, for he is the basis Of national
prosperity, and even if it took many
times the amount suggested in the
petition he should demand it as his
right. Have we not seen millions Of
acres and millions Of dollars donated
by the government to greedy corpo-
rations, as free gifts; only to be used
later as a means of extortion and
corruption, to defraud and rob the
people that so generously gave it?
| would suggest, Mr.. Editor, an
idea that has occurred to me, and can
be taken for what it is worth.
There is no doubt but that in the
near future electricity will be used
as the great motive force. This is
already SO in the large cities. where
it is used in the street car service al
together Now we have throughout
the country many watcrpowers, that
could be utilized by proper dynan,os,
to produce electricity. Let the gov
ernment construct upon these i'm
proved roads, especially those lead
ing from the smaller towns to the
great markets and ports, double steel
tracks, with electric wires. carrying
sufficiently strong current Of cleo
tricity, furnished by the state or
6VSNA AA4CuC, AlOLA UuC SOAlCCS lC-
fered to. Then allow anyone to run
cars over these electric lines, sub
ject to proper regulations, by paying
the state proper tolls for the use of
the lines and the electric motive
force. The parties owning the cars,
where they shipped for other per-
sons, would charge a certain fixed
maximum charge: regulated by the
state, based upon the cost Of the
rolling stock and the expense of op-
Grating. The state would keep the
road in repair and pay all other ex-
penSes from the tolls received. Such
roads could only be used for the
transporta tion of heavy products OF
the farm, and the speed attained by
trains would not exceed more than,
say, eight or ten miles an hour,
about equal TO that on city street
car lines.
Something similar to this idea is
now in use upon the Erie canal in
the state Of New York. Anyone can
run boats upon this canal by paying
the fixed tolls of the state; and [ see
that lately they have determined to
use electricity as motive force in
stead Of animal power.
Such system of electric roads as
l have briefly suggested would COM
plete]y solve the question Of tran,
SpOrtatiOn and free the farmer from
the exactions Of the railroad COM
panieS. MEDICUS. Z