The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-08-17
REASONS FOR THE BONDS.
Engineer BlandiOTd Says the Time to
Issue Them Is Now.

County Engineer Blaudford has taken
a deep interest in the subject of good
roads, and has been one of the most &C
tive supporters of the movement in favor
of Che issue of county bonds for road i'm
provement.
MAJ. Blandford does not believe there is
any reason why the county should not be
bonded for the improvement of its roads
and drainage, He quotes from Gen.
Stone, government engineer for road in
quiry in the department of agriculture:
THE present depression of business of
all kinds throughout the country, so far
from stopping the agitation for good
roads, or hindering the work of their
construction, Gen. Stone says, furnishes
a new motive for their agitation and a
rare opportunity for the work"
Maj. Blandford also cites letter is
| sued by the National League of Good
! Roads: The earnest attention of the
! league, Its co-Workers and all committees
| ana persons seeking relief for the unem-
/ ployed, is respectfully called to the pres
ent favorable conditions for road improve
/ ment, both for its own sake and as means
| OF giving employment and stimulating
/ business in general.
! Capital as well as labor. is idle and bank
| ers are expecting an era of cheap money
/ bringing a quick demand for such invest
| ments as town and county bonds.
Many county and town boards in
! various states are already authorized to
| begin road-making and to issue bonds
therefor; others require only the sanction
Of local election.
TO FURNISH EMPLOYMENT.
"Men enough could be put to work by
! these hOHiHC without
lauon to give sensible relief to the labor
market, and materially ease the hard
times in their localities, while the roads
| would be built al minimum of cost and
of interest charges.
'TO enforce these considerations upon
the attention of the boards having power
to act, and upon the people having right
to vote such power, is the practical work
of the hour"
Maj. Blandford refers to a writer who
has given the subject much thought and
who, in reviewing the financial depres-
sions of 1919, 1887, 1857 and 1878, fixes the
duration of each from four to six years
in summing up says: SHOULD the fifth
great panic of the series, that of 1893, be
like in its results to the other four, we
may expect to spend the remaining years
of the nineteenth century in "stagnation,
retrenChment and liquidation" But
history may not always repeat itself, and
the genius of the age is bold enough to
undertake any promising short cut TO
prosperity. regardless of all the land
marks of history and precedent
sit is not the lack of money but the
| lack of circulation for it, that makes
times hard at present. The first effect of
the panic was to take money out of the
banks aud hide it; the second effect was
to take it out of business: the former
was soon over, and the money has gone
back to the banks for safe keeping. but
the latter goes on. Confidence IN banks
has returned but confidence in business
has not the capital withdrawn from bust
ness, which gave employment to labor, is
being added to the mass of bank deposits,
and labor is turned adrift. Money is
idle in banks and workmen are idle at
home. Employment for both is wanted,
and neither can get it without the other;
the deadlock is complete, money will not
go back into the ordinary channels of en-
ployment, on account of the uncertainties
of the future, and labor cannot employ
itself.
MONEY EAGER TO BE USED.
ITO break this deadlock it is only need
full to find safe and profitable way to
use money; and it need not be so very
profitable either, for money is as eager as
labor to be employed, and will accept
small returns, if they are only sure
THE effects of all this are seen in
lower wages for common labor than have
been known for a generation, and lower
rates of interest for money on call than
have ever prevailed for any length of
time in this country.
Sixty and rs cents per day for labor,
and per cent. per annum for money. are
rates we could not have dreamed of in
America few years ago"
But this situation, deplorable as it may
be, Maj. Blandford regards as not with
out its especial opportunities. The con-
dltiOnS offer unusual inducements for the
inception of permanent works of public
character, and through this means the
general deadlock may measurably be
broken. Quite apart from the philan-
thropic motive of furnishing relief to the
destitute, it is clear that the time to
push public works with proit is when
private enterprise drops out of competI-
tion with them.
THE NEED OF DRAINAGE WORK.
The opportunity to do this now offers
itself TO the people of this county Every
one comedies the great importance of a
rapid completion Of the work on the
drainage system, aud a system of WELL
built free roads is now regarded as a
necessity. The construction of these
now depends upon the people to favor the
bond issue recommended by the grand
jury Such bonds would have the pecu-
liar merit Of multiplying their own Sc
curity, since experience shows that every
new canal or road built adds many times
its cost 10 the taxable values Of the dis
trict in which 1t lies.
The expenditure OF half a million dol
lars in cash in this county, for drainage
and road improvement, Mai Bland
ford says, not only means good times
while IL is going on. but will make i'm
portant additions TO the permanent bust
ness capital Of the county. II means.
moreover, the payment of debts, the re-
yival Of local trade, and, when it becomes
general, the increase of the purchasing
power of the entire laboring class. In
creased purchases by these means in
creased employment for Others and when
1t is once begun, this action and reaction
brings prosperity TO producer and con-
sumer, including full employment TO all
who are engaged in the exchange aud
transportation of products. IL is only
necessary TO set the ball rolling. Money
expended among the laborers will
quickly find its way through all the chan
nels OF trade ana production.
AN EARLY BEGINNING or WORK.
As Gen. Stone says, 1t would be worth
while at this crisis even 10 make some
sacrifices for this purpose. How much
d Ia