The news & observer., 1897-02-06
AGRIOULTURE.

Your statesmen and scientists and
your practical business men, whether
farmers or merchants or manufacturers.
are constantly studying how to benefit
the agriculture of this State. Those who
have travelled in France are convinced
that no lasting prosperity can come to
any people without good roads. Our
farmers are often charged with idleness
and waste of time, but you must admit
that it is no fruit Of their own; the con-
dition Of their highways is almost entire
ly responsible. The French farmer loses
no time by bad weather, bad roads or
wet fields Wet weather is his time to 60
on the roads, with covering for his load.
and his horse, and himself, he takes the
opportunity of a long rain for long
journey with a big load; if he has no
loading Of his own, he hauls for a neigh
hor,, or goes off on a long distance for
cheap fertilizer to enrich his land.
PRACTICAL REMEDIES.
II am not prepared to recommend any
definite measures of legislation TO you to
remedy all this difficulty at once; it would
require "a long study of the conditions
prevailing in your State; it is a study
which cannot even be made by thoroughly
legislative committees during the labors
of the session Of the Legislature.
doubt if YOU are prepared for such thor
ough measures as have been taken by
some of the States, but at least you are
prepared to adopt the same measures as
those States have chosen, to ascertain
what can be done under your conditions.
You have men enough in the State, per-
haps men enough already in the States
10y yxgbA n ynnrnfnnf iuunutiuatQ
this subject, and law before the Legisla
ture definite plans for road improve I
ment. They will need to study all the
methods of other States and the local
conditions of all parts OF your own State.
The difficult problem Of road improve
ment is actually being solved in many
parts of the United States to-day, and it
only remains for you 10 choose the best
of the various methods.
HELP FROM RAILROADS.
"In amy general system of frst-c class
road building a great amount of railroad
transportation for road materials will be
required. If you will place this investi-
CATION in the hands of a suitable body
of the best representatives of the State
government or citizenship, and Indicate
that the State is ready now to commence a
substantial system of road improvement,
| am sure the railroads OF the State
may be depended upon as one of the
most valuable contributing features to
that result. We have corresponded with
nearly all the leading railroad men Of the
country, and we find the disposition to
assist in this matter almost universal"
PROF. HOLMES LECTURE.
After Gen. Stone had spoken, Prof. J.A. :,
Holmes, State Geologist gaven AN enter
tanning and instructive lecture on North
Carolipa roads, illustrating his remarks
with views from a projection lantern.
These pictures were from photographs
taken mostly by Prof. Holmes himself.
They showed roads in all parts Of the
State, good and bad roads.
Mecklenburg leads the counties OF
North Carolina in road building. The
lecture showed contrasting scenes of the
old road alongside the new, and one of
four horses struggling in the mud with a
load Of wood and another Of two horses
easily hauling twelve bales OF cotton
along a Mecklenburg road. He showed
also views Of improved roads in Wake
county and praised Superintendent Me-
Mackin, who has done such good work
upon the roads OF this county.
French, italian and Swiss roads We're
shown, and the advantage of good roads
pointed out. It'll reduce the cost of haul !
ing to farmers, and besides in Western
Carolina good roads would attract people
there in travelling, who would spend more
money than the roads cost.
More eonyicts ia every county should |