The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1897-11-19
FARM AND GARDEN.
EVERYBODY INTERESTED.
a Kentucky Editors Comments ON
the Road Movement


of our country roads is one in which a IA
citizens ought TO take an interest. AT
the same time. il is necessary 10 under
stand the conditions that surround the
question.
There was time io the history 81 the
country when there was great contro-
yersy over what was called internal i'm
provements. This included turnpike
roads. The right OF congress 10 eNpend
federal revenue for such purposes was
strenuously combated. On the other
hand. il was defended on the ground
that these roads were TO be national
ighways-avenues Of interstate com
merce. 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 The latter have superseded the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 it ought 10 pur-
chase or coniiscate them all ard operate
them. Conditions have entirely changed
since the time when il was insisted thai
!
Our artificial highways for lorg-dis-
lance commerce are all railroads. with
the exception OF few canals.
When the good-roads convention at
Nashville. therefore. insisted on the con
struction of country roads, partly al the
expense of the federal government.
partly at the cost Of the states and
partly by convict labor. i appears 10
have lost sight OF the real work TO be
done. All of our great highways for in
terstate commerce are either water
routes or railroads. or the latter there
appears TO be suflicieney. If we can
draw any conclusion from the cessation
of railroad building. Roads are
now wanted TO transport products
To the railroads. TO the mines. to the
coast. or TO other roads which lead TO
one OF the three first mentioned. In
other words. We need what are called
neighborhood roads. and not roads en-
gagged in interstate commerce. or even
state commerce between distant points
The latter. as well as the former. is
carried on over railroads where wafer
-outes are not available.
1t seems clear that the federal gov
eminent has nothing TO do with roads
within the states, few miles in length.
that are needed to reach longer lines en-
gagged in state or interstate commerce
If il had the power to construct such
roads, il would he difficult 10 do so on
an equita BILE basis. Some of the states
have many roads of this sort built at
local expense; Others have none al all.
,r next TO none. The same remark ap-
plies TO states some portions Of which
nave fine systems OF turn pixies. provided
al their own cost, without state aid.
while other sections have no good roads
IT all. The injustice Of taxing all paris
Of the country alike for local roads is APP
parent at glance.
The agitation IN favor Of good country
roads is so important in itself that il
ought not TO be complicated with ex-
traneous questions. The main point is
10 utilize the money already expended
Il is not the small amount of
money and labor expended on our roads
that has left so many of them in bad
supervision and direction. Ii is not in
he interest of good roads to instruct
he people who need them 10 wait for
the federal government to come TO their
relief To considerable extent al least
he same is true of the state govern
ments These local roads can be built
With local resources If they are proper
ly utilized.
As 10 the use Of convict labor for the
making Of these. no doubt that is pos
sible in some parts of the country. In
this state. however. IL is not possible
lnder the present constitution. which
provides. in section 253. that persons
convicted OF felony and sentenced 10
confinement in the penitentiary shall he
confined II labor within the walls Of the
penitentiary, and the general assembly,
shall not have the power to authorize
employment Of convicts elsewhere. ex-
cept upon the public works Of the com
monwealth of Kentucky. or when. dur
ing pestilence or in case Of the destrrc-
tion of the prison buildings. they can
not be confined in the penitentiary.
County roads are not public works o..
the commonwealth. and hence are not
within the exception. This. however.
might be cured by a constitutional
amendment if the people desire to make
the experiment Of convict labor on
country roads. There would still re-
main. however. the difficult matter of
apportioning the expense.-Louisvillc
Couirer-Journal.