Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1896-12-04

No AAlob DAObOaH EACutAJ AnCA ADtt1CN
their feed value and gave the refuse
a much larger capacity for absorbing
the liquid manure, which contained
the elements of fertility in large
proportion.
This counsel was timely, and ii
farmers would heed the suggestion
they would be astonished at the say
ing result. Particularly is it inn
portant when the hay crop is short
to utilize the coarser fodder to the
utmost, and fodder cutter enables
this to be done in the most economi-
cal manner.
The evening session was occupied
by Mr.. Woodward in the discussion
of good roads in which several took
part. He said the farmers can
make just as good roads as they
please, there is no hindrance but
their inclination, and the lack of a
proper interest in election officials
from whom the best results are at
tanned. Good roads are coming.
The wheelmen are urging the mat
ter, and if the people will only make
the roads ordinarily good, extraordi-
nary expense may be avoided. He
advocated the payment of a cash
road tax as more likely to secure the
best results from the money raised,
and also a board of road commits
sioners who would hire the men to
do the work, following somewhat
the present system of the school
law under which directors are
elected who employ the teachers.
The road commissioners should
serve without pay, as do the
directors, and they should levy the
tax and disburse the money. The
law should provide several differ
ent kinds of roads, None of which
might be suitable to the locality and
the commissioners of roads should
adopt such style as might be pro-
per for their section or township
and when certain length was con-
structed, which might vary, the
state should pay out of an appropria
ton to be made therefor, a certain
amount to be fixed by the act pro
portioned to the length of road sc
made or constructed. The people
under this system would advance
the money to build such of the kinds
of roads prescribed as might be
suitable and be repaid by the state
when the road was constructed il
accordance with the plan or system
adopted. This outline perhaps does
not do full justice to the views oi
the speaker, but it gives in sub.
stance his Judgment as to the besi
method of arriving at the desired
result by legislation. Back of this
however, must be sentimeni
among the people favoring goot
roads, and a willingness on theil
part to discard partisanship il
selecting local officials. He insisted
that capable, honest and efficien
township officers were of more Jim
portance to local interests than thu
office of president, and yet, mer
would expend great energy in, that di
section and neglect the minor offices
of their township the proper admin
istration of which more nearly con
cerned their prosperity. He would
by all means continue the present
system of holding elections for local
officials in the spring, or at a differ
} ent time from the general election
so as to avoid as far as possible thu
injection of party spirit in the selec
tion of township officers.
He was earnestly in favor of wide
tires for wagons as they are excel
lent roads makers, and gave severa
illustrations to prove this fact. Mr.
Woodward isan enthusiastic speake
of positive convictions, and witha
thoroughly informed on the topic
he discusses. He is practical ani
successful farmer, and has expert
ence which added to his sclentifi
knowledge renders his talks of posi-
tive value TO the farmers.
1t is to be regretted that tn
weather was such as to preven
many from attending who no doub
had designed doing so. but thos
present carried away much food foi
thought, and their examples and in
1 huence viii go far in the communit.
toward arousing a more progressive
spirit, and a fuller determination o.
the part of our farmers to NOR
clearly comprehend the details o
: that most intricate and interesting
3 of all sciences, the science of agri
n culture.