The Van Buren press., 1898-12-10

E -lGEE1 II z-laA42- lrk4E- --Fs=4-
/ tor would benefit every class in every
/ community without in5uring any.
The building Of coed roads Wonlo
relieve the congestion q population N
cities bv making lie IN the country
more pleasant and attractive The
/ greatest drawback 10 country lie Is
! the inability 70 move with ease rom
poia1 10 point. owing TO the mada!
/ roazS- which are sometimes lmpassa-
/ BE #ar Fze or six months N the year.
making such a life confined and bar
rzn Of al social enjoyment, placing
the country people in many sections at
sr7eh a great disadvantage that amnl-
! ton : crushed. energies are weakened,
Industry paralYzed. and ignorance is
/ Increasing rather than diminishing
Ar last N some districts This state
| Of things for which he people Of the
| country districts ara not responsible,
/ drives thousands 10 the cities, where
thev often suffer prirafion and power
II. which lead them into temptation
and frequently into crime
Good reads. wherever built, would
Increase the value OF property through
| cut the country. They would make the
markets more accessible and in every
v-ay add . the profit as vel as TO the
enjoyment OF country life, and thus to
the moral and material advancement
OF fhe nation.
Suppose the general government
should appropriate every year an
amount equal 10 that now expended
for pensions. say Sl59. 600, for the
/ building and improvement of the
ros6s Of the country. This would give,
in round numbers. 8 Per capita for
THE entire population Of the United
States \ county covering, say, 500
square miles, with population $4,000,
would receive annually for the build
ing Of roads $4,000. This continued
for ten years would grade, macadam-
ize and gravel every road in an aver
age county Of this area
~Nh ho would begrudge the eXpendi-
ture after such roads had been built?
/ Who would not say that the expendi-
| ture was = wise one. elevating in its in
fuenoe and adding immensely to the
/ tangible wealth Of the country? We
/ are row paving more than this amount
On 1he expenditure Of the Spanish war.
Is their single person who would not
receive a benefit from good roads far
4 greater in amount than he now pays
N war 1axesZ Put il in another way:
Is there . single person now using the
highways Of the country. or whose
business Is in any way affected by the
/ tratHc on The highways OF the country
l land this touches every man and wom-
| an n the United S1atesl. who would
! not Be willing 10 pay as much for good
! roads as he now pays for the war with
spain2
The revenue bill passed by the last
/ session Of congress in order to raise
| funds for carrying on the war prom
ises 10 yield Z much larger income
/ than viii Be needed for war expenses.
| Broadly stated, il may be said that
the people Of the country do not feel
/ these war taxes. and If this bin should
be continued in effect and the surplus
revenue 10 the extent OF. say, $3.50,
| 600 a year, be voted 10 the improve
/ ment OF roads throughout the coun-
| try. the agricultural interests of every
section would be revolutionized. farm
life would become popular. and a vast
! upward movement would be given TO
/ every phase and feature of The busi-
ness, social and educational life of
America
In personal letter 10 the Southern
Farm Magazine bearing on this sub
/ ject. Col. Killebrew adds:
! Why should the states and coun-
ties Of this country be called upon TO
build roads TO be used by the United
States government in the transporta-
tion of mails and army supplies?
why is il not as much the duty Of
the general government 10 provide
such roads as II is 10 provide post Of
nee buildings or other public build
ings?
1T occurs 10 me that the people Of
! the United States have fallen into a
slovenIy way Of thinking about the
| duty Of the government in this par
ticular. No good reason can be as
| signed WHY the government should not
build roads that may not be assigned
why the state and county should not
build roads Equity would demand
+ that every one using the ruads should
/ contribute 70 their maintenance II
took many centuries f0r the people Of
/ England 70 learn that justice demand
| ed that the government should con
struct the principal highways in the
! country. II was the Erosses- fnfns-
tice 10 impose This burden upo1 the
I country people living along the high
WAYS, and this injustice. 20 i=e-iF felt
/ by them, produced rebellio- in rlsuy
I districts before the Eorerru1ent =Tzs
aroused 20 the performance of ifE duty
[ in this particular. u was strange
/ that while the cOuueros between the