The Republican journal., 1898-01-20
ucts when they will bring the highest

ucts when they will bring the highest
prices, and the profitable use of rainy
days are important advantages. To the
gains derived from these sources must be
added the enhanced values of real estate.
/ The average appreciation of the lands
through which good roads run is estimat-
| ed at 50 an acre. There is one instance
of an exceptional rise of $S3 per acre in
the value of farm land. As all the people
of the United States participate in the
benefits of good roads, they should all
bear their share of the cost of construc-
ton and maintenance. As there is a COM
munity of interests, there should be an
equality of burdens. Merchants and
manufacturers are deeply interested in
good roads, because it would frequently
happen that, without them, the supplies
with which country customers pay their
bills could not be brought to market; nor
could the wares which their patrons pur-
chased be quickly or cheaply transported
to the points of consumption. But with
good roads, producers and consumers
could carry on their exchanges irrespec
tive of bad weather. Even if other classes
sought to Cypress farmers with all the ex-
penses of reconstruction, they would not
succeed in their unj ust attempt; for the
husbandmen, by charging higher prices
| for their products, could force the con-
sumers to bear at least part of the cost
of rebuilding the highways. Assuredly,
Americans will not try to evade their OBJ.
legations, but with an intelligent regard
for their own interests, favor an equal
/ taxation for Improvements that alike ben
eft every member of the community.
| There are said to be 5000 miles of
common roads in Missouri. There is no
means OF knowing how many million dol
lars OF loss their badness annually causes
the State. But it is, at all events, certain
that these roads ought to be improved.
1t will require new legislation to provide
the funds for the reconstruction. 1t is
hoped that our legislators will not hest
tate to impose taxes for the completion of
Improvements that would so greatly pro-
mote the material prosperity of Missouri.
There are millions of wheelmen in the
United States. They have always been
strong and active friends of good roads.
Their powerful influence in favor of i'm
proved highways has been felt in every
State of the I Mon. Doubtless the wheel
men of Missouri will efficiently cooperate
! with every effort to induce our Legisla-
ture to pass snch an enactment as will
lie roads.
In other sections of the country State
prisoners have been employed to crush the
stone which is used in reconstructing the
highways. There would seem to be no
good reason why the prisoners of this State
should not be set to work at the same pub
licly useful task.
The preceding remarks relative to coun-
try roads apply with almost equal force
to the streets of our cities. The comfort
of the citizens, ease of travel, facility of
draught, convenience of trade and preser-
walton of the public health demand for
the streets of American cities the earliest
pavement which municipal funds will per-
nit.
According to Mulhall, the wealth of the
United States is now So, 720, 600, 600
greater that of Great Britain. This coun-
try is certainly destined, in the near fu-
ture, to attain commercial supremacy.
The American people, with its alert in
telligence, restless energy and boundless
resources, cannot fail to become the fore
most nation in the world. But success in
the keen competitions of commerce i'm
plies system OF carefully organized
economies The cheapest transportation
which good roads, shortest lines of rail
way, electric facilities Tor shipment and
swift ocean steamers can furnish is es-
sential to victory in the sharply contest
ed rivalries of international trade In the
construction of their highways Americans
do not display the business acuteness for
which they are famed. They have spent
hundreds of millions on their roads, and
yet to day there is not a great country in
the civilized world that has so poor roads
as the United States has. The American
system of making public roads has been
radically faulty. Every industry in this
land is affected by the condition of its
highways. If our couutrymen would i'm
prove our primary transportation they
would lift from American prosperity an
annual burden of $500, 600, 600, and enable
the United States more quickly to achieve
its commercial ascendency