The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1895-06-15
AGRICULTURAL HINTS.
THE FINANCIAL SIDE.

| Economical Phases Involved in tho Sub.
| ject of Good Roads.
This subject of good roads involves
several questions. The principal ones
are these: How much is tho benefit
derived from good roads? Who gets
the benefit? How much does it cost?
Who pays for it? Who ought to pay
for it?
| Gen. Stone, of the federal depart
ment of agriculture, has found three
independent estimates which place the
yearly loss to farmers in the United
| States from bad roads at about $780,
OOO, OOO equivalent to 81 an acre annu-
ally. Capitalized at five per cent, this
| amount. if saved, would increase the
value of farm land $40 an acre, or n to-
tai increase of $4,000, cocoon AS the
| total value of all farms is about $780,
| DOC, OOo,O 600 this would be an increase of
| fifty per cent. in their value AS the
total annual value of farm products is
only $4,000, 600, 900, one-fourth Of its
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
they are better horses, but beca use
they travel better roads. Mr.. Wollen
estimates the annual cost OF main tain
ing horse at 800. If only one-fourth
of the horses in Indiana could be
spared, instead of one-half or two
thirds as i'll England or France, the
annual saving in horse maintenance
for this sta tie alone would be $40, OO0,-
600. Prot. Ely holds that poor roads
cost the farmer S15 per horse.
These estimates arc none too high.
The gain from good roads when once
they are completed will make 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 wears
is a heavy drawback to road improve
ment. Farm products have fallen in
prices even more than the roads have
benefited the farmer. In 1882, 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 it was 1921 per
acre, fall of 81 per cent. Oats fell
from S1l.4S per acre in 1882. to Sc. SO
per acre in 1893, 40 per cent: wheat
yielded $l2 per acre in 1852. only ST. 16
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-S12.39 in Indiana
nearly double the price received for
the product. Horses, which in 1882
averaged SOL a head, are only $40 in
1894, u fall of 21 per cent. in 81 years.
With horses so cheap and grain still
cheaper to feed them, it is not likely
that 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
n 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 abutting farm |
as should be expected from |
the estimates 1 have quoted, but have
protected it from the universal |
fall of all such property. In many |
have actually fallen in value, notwith-
standing the advent of the hard road. |
Closely connected with this is anoth-
or point to be noted, namely, that it |
takes several years for farmers to real
lze the increased value which good
roads bring. In order to take advan-
tage of good roads the farmer must
adopt Il more intensive method of cul-
ovation. Must introduce crops for
which there is market demand, must
invest in more machinery and imple-
nents. All of this requires time, and
the farmer is compelled to !
pay his assessments in cash derived
from the sales of deprecated products
l do not intend, however, to hold
|
oy good roads Indeed, they are high
y benefited relatively if their farm
values remain even stationary and do
lot decline, since there Is almost no mar
tet at all noacaaays for farms acithout such
'odds What l maintain is this, that
under the present fall in
prices Of farm products and farm lands |
.annot afford to bear all the expense of
building the county roads, as they
lave done in the past. If we are to
lave good roads the cities must help
he farmers.
The objection is made that cities
ave their own heavy expenses for
building and maintaining their streets,
0 which the farmers do not contribute.
nd, therefore, the farmers should not
six them for help in constructing their
ountry roads. The answer is that
My the main gravel and macadam
Dads are contemplated under the New
ersey and similar laws, which might
be called county or state |
Dads, and that If cities have streets to
maintain, farmers have township and
ross roads to maintain, to make con-
ections with the pixies. The town. |
hips of Indiana tax their property | ,
wners 10 to Is cents on the 500 for !
aain tanning their own dirt roads, and
n additional special tax for new
as tax for the care of its streets and
pecial assessments for new streets.
'oston spends 16 cents on the 500 val ,
alton for care of streets. The one off, I
cts the other, leaving the great thor