The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-03-20

ouSHb 70 ldlii anu II true, however eS-
| pressed, 1t should be amendable and 50
with all formal matters until final iuds-
! ment Is reached The whole aim and pOr-
pose Of the law should be TO do even
| handed justice without regard to form and
at q cost which will not make the winner
| yet loser and the loser doubly damned.
SHORT TERM CONNECTS AND GOOD
ROADS.
Texas. in her munihcence has donated to
railroads, to encourage their building, land
sufficient TO make three States of New
England, and yet our people except u
favored few, are compelled to pay fun rates
for all freight shipped and full fare for
every mile travelled over them. Indeed, not
one out of ten of our toiling masses who
produce our wealth and pay our taxes.
ever ride on these railroads or use them
in any way and not one acre OF land or
doilar in money, 80 far ms | know haa
ever been donated to the grazing and mac
adamizing our public roads an yet .bey
are used daily by all our people, ANA in
my judgment 1t Is infinitely more ne,rs.
sary and conducive to the COMMON good
that we should have good public roais
Tor the use OF our people than that we
should have railroads. would not s.
| -
suaded that | do not ovars,a.e the cDo,-
parative Importance of the two characters
OF highways. In so far as the same Affects
the prosperity, comfort and happiness CT
the great masses of Our people. We know
that almost every day our farmers must
use dirt roads; almost all Of tho freight
transported over the railroads, must sooper
or later he hauled over our dirt reads,
and when you estimate the tins etu-
fruNplinp Al -,
FARMER and producer and damages result
ms to his wagon and team, and DELAYS
from bad dirt roads. sometimes almost i'm
passahle for three months in the year. and
YET the absolute necessity of their con-
iihued use by our people, we can begin TO
appreciate the value of good roads.
| advocate the working OF all sort term
convicts in grading and macadamizing our
DIRT roads, in the highest degree possible.
Ihe system of hiring out our convlcts TO
farmers, disconnected with the arms of
the state, is the prolific source of cruelty
and oppression. and shame to the Stale.
an outrage upon humanity. In my judy
ment we can fan more profitably and hui
ma nelly employ them in building public
highways and nothing would so much on
Rance the value of our land OF. make more
attractive our homes, or result in greater
profit and comfort to our people as well
kept public highways
am not unmlndful of the difficulties of
putting into practical effect my plan. tut
contend that if our county conyicts can
be successfully worked on the county
roads. the short term ccnvicts can be utiliz. |
ed TO the same purpose and while on this
subject desire to say, shall insist that |
all the convicts not so employed shall be
employed or farms owned by the State or |
confined within the walls OF the peniton- |
iary.
The practice of hiring them to disin.
crested parties that is to say. having M !
interest In their welfare and feeling M |
responsibility for their care, is brutal, in
human and uncivilized. reflection on the |
sood name of our State. and should be |
abandoned. There are many other WAYS |
n which we can successfully employ Their,
We have magnificent forests of fne tim |
'er out OF which furniture could be manu-
ectnred for tho use of our public schools
nc public buildings, all of which are fur
lished at great expense by the State, and
nus save our people this expense and vet
lot come In competition with the labor AZ
ur people and besides, devolope an in
'ustry which would in the future prove
II incalculable value TO The State.