The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1897-11-13
FARM AND GARDEN.
EvERYeopY INTERESTED.
Kentucky Editors Comments on
the Road Movement.

the Road Movement.
The movement for the Improvement
of our country roads is one in which all
citizens ought TO take an interest. Al
the same time, II is necessary to under
stand the conditions that surround the
question.
There was time in the history OF the
country when there was great eontro-
Versy over what was called interhal liii-
oroyements. This included turnpike
roads. The right Of congress TO eNpeno
4 federal revenue for such purposes was
strenuously combated. On the other
hand IL was defended on the GROUND
that these roads were TO be natlohai
highwoys-ayenues OF interstate com
rnerce THAT was before the day OF rail- |
roads. The latter have superseded the
necessity OF building turnpike or other
similar roads for the uses OF interstate
commerce. The federal government
has assumed supervision over these
highways OF commerce, and there are
those who insist that IL ought TO pur-
ehase or confscate them all and operate
them. Conditions have entirely changed
since the time when IL was insisted that
congress should construct turnpikes
Our artificial highways for long-ais-
lance commerce are all railroads, win
the exception OF n few canals.
When the good-roads convention al
Nashville. therefore, insisted on the con
struction of country roads, partly at the
expense Of the federal government,
nnrtly at the cost of the states and
partly by convict labor, 1t appears to
have lost sight of the real work to be
done. All Of our great highways Tor IN
terstate commerce are either water
routes or railroads. or the latter there
anpears 10 be n sufficiency, If we can
draw any conclusion from the cessation
of railroad building. Roads are
r now wanted 10 transport products
! 10 the railroads, TO the mines, to the
coast, or 10 other roads which lead 10
s one OF the three first mentioned. In
r other words, we need what are calico
e neighborhood roads, and not roads en-
G gaged i'm interstate commerce, or even
\ state commerce between distant points
e The latter. as well as the former, is
c carried on over railroads where water
e routes are not available.
r II seems clear that the federal gov
@ eminent has nothing to do with roaas
c within the states, a few miles in length
that are needed 10 reach longer lines en-
Is gagged in state or interstate commerce
., III II had the power 10 construct suei
u roads, IL would be difficult TO do so oil
De- an equitable basis Some OF the state
2. have many roads OF this sort built
- local expenses; others have none at all
Is or next to none. The same remark ap
pt plies TO states some portions of whieI
y have fine systems OF turnpikes, provide
e. Mt their own cost, without state aic
OF while other sections have no good road
o. at ALL The injustice OF taxing all part
Of the country alike for local roads is al
parent at a glance.
'd The agitation In favor of good countr
a. roads is so important in itself that
IL ought not to be complicated with e.
n traneous questions. The main point
r. TO utilize the money already expended
be 1t is not the small amount
m money and labor expended on our roaC
as that has left so many OF them in ba
he condition, but the want OF intelligei
le- supervision and direction. II is not
sc the interest of good roads to instru
as the people who need them to wait f
'n- the federal government TO come to the
To- relief To a considerable extent at lea
on the same is true of the state Cover
ments. These local roads can be bui
with local resources If they are prope
ri ly utilized.
roe As TO the use OF convict labor for q
Ger making OF these, no doubt that is pc
he sible in some parts OF the country.
.en this state, however, IL is not possih
nm under the present constitution, viii
TO- provides. in section 253, that "perso
he convicted Of felony and sentenced
an confinement in the penitentiary shall
nj confined at labor within the walls OF {
ont penitentiary, and the general assemh
cts shall not have the power TO authori
, I'm employment Of convicts elsewhere, {
ION cept upon the public works OF the CO.
monwealth OF Kentucky, or when, dl
ing pestilence or in case Of the destrl
ton OF the prison buildings, they ca
'cS not be confined In the penitentiar,
inc County roads are not public works
on the commonwealth, and hence are I
NV within the exception. This, howey
rs might be cured by a constitution
'ie amendment II the people desire TO ma
"a the experiment OF convict labor
~ country roads. There would still
cen e, main. however, the difficult matter
~ apportioning the expense.-Louisvi
Couirer-Journal.
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