The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1895-06-14
#R0ADs..s!ss.
80 F4za-rt 5000 zr,s,s -
saSEt -~~s 2At
IMPROVEMENT.
THE FINANCIAL SIDE.
economical Phases Involved In the Sub
iect of Good Roads.

This subject of good roads involves
several questions. The principal ones
sno these: How much is the benefit
Jeriyed from good roads? Who gets
~. benefit? How much does it cost?
Who pays for it? Who ought to pay
for it?
Cen. Stone, of the federal depart
mont of agriculture, has found three
independent estimates which place the
,.oarlv loss to farmers in the United
Stotes from bad roads at about $780,
Oo9O0O equivalent to 81 an acre annu-
ally. Capitalized at five per cent, this
amount, if saved, would increase the
valre of farm land $50 an acre, or a to-
tal increase of 100000. As the
fatal value of all farms is about S26,-
0o0 coo. 900 this would be an increase of
ATTY per cent. in their value. AS the
total annual value of farm products Is
only $4,000, 100000, one-fourth of it's
value is lost through bad roads,
Comparisons have also been made
with foreign countries. The English
horse does twice the work of the
American horse, the French horse
three times the work; not because
thew are better horses, but because
thew travel better roads. Mr.. Wollen
estimates the annual cost of maintain
ing a horse at 500. If only one-fourth
of the horses in Indiana could be
spared, instead of one-half or two
thirds as in England or France, the
annual saving in horse maintenance
for this state alone would be $40, O0O.-
600. Prot Ely holds that poor roads
cost the farmer SIS per horse
These estimates are none too high.
The gain from good roads when once
they are completed will mako the most
cautious statistics seem fabulous. But
there are two or three special points to
be considered. The tremendous fall In
prices of farm products in recent years
is heavy drawback to road improve
meut Farm products have fallen In
prices even more than the roads have
benefited the farmer. In 1889, accord
ing TO the reports of the secretary of
agriculture, the average value Of the
corn product in the United States was
Sl1.94 per acre; in 1893 1t was 1921 per
acre, fall of 81 per cent Oats fell
from S11.4S per acre In 1882. to &c. SO
per acre in 1898, 40 per cont; wheat
yielded S12 per acre in 1882, only 81. 10
in 1898, fall Of nearly so per cent.
But the cost Of production, according
to the estimates of $4,000 farmers is
SLIGO per acre-$12.39 in Indiana
nearly double the price received for
the product. Horses, which in 1882
averaged Sol head, are only S4s In
1894, a fall of 81 per cent. in 81 years.
With horses SO cheap and grain still
cheaper to feed them, 1t is not likely
thai farmers can spend much money in
building roads to economic horse
flesh.
As result of this universal fall in
products, the values of farm lands have
fallen correspondingly. Consequently
a large part of the stone and gravel
roads which have been built during
the last fifteen years have not served
to raise the value Of AUDITING farm
property, as should be expected from
the estimates have quoted, but have
merely protected it from the universal
fall of all Such property. In many
cases even the benefited farm lands
have actually fallen in value, notwith-
standing the advent of the hard road.
Closely connected with this is anoth-
Ter point to be noted, namely, that it
takes several years for farmers to real
ize the increased value which good
roads bring. In order to take advap-
tage of good roads the farmer must
fadopt a more intensive method of cul-
Eivation. Must introduce crops for
(which there is a market demand, must
invest in more machinery and imple-
nents. All of this requires time, and
meanwhile the farmer is compelled to
Day his assessments in cash derived
rom the sales of deprecated products.
do not intend, however, to hold
that farmers are not benefited
By good roads. Indeed, they are high
~ benefited relatively if their farm
hlues remain even stationary and do
lot decline, since there is almost no mar
at all nooaddys for farms acithout such
pads What ! maintain is this, that
lrmers under the present fall in
Fices of farm products and farm lands
hnnot afford to bear all the expense of
hiding the county roads, as they
hve done in the past. If we are to
bye good roads the cities must help
be farmers.
The objection is made that cities
i've their own heavy expenses for
hiding and maintaining their streets,
which the farmers do not contribute,
bd, therefore, the farmers should not
X them for help in constructing their
untry roads The answer is that
ly the main gravel and macadam
ads are contemplated under the New
rsey and similar laws, which might
operly be called county or state
ads, and that If cities have streets to
hintain, farmers have township and
PISS roads to maintain, to make con-
ctions with the pixies. The town
Ups of Indiana tax their property
ners 10 to Is cents on the 500 for
Aintaining their own dirt roads, and
additional special tax for new
pds, while the city of indianapolis
tax for the care of Its streets and
ecial assessments for new streets.
|ston spends l6 cents on the 500 val
ton for care of streets. The one Off
Is the other, leaving the great thor
ghfares connecting the cities and
lagos as a proper charge for all in
1nmon.
Again, the federal government has
ptected manufactures and fostered
pse Industries which concentrate in
lies. The farmer has paid the bills.