Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1899-06-22
An An EDUCATIONAL ADDRESS. ADDRESS
CONTINUED from Page ~

\Soutliucu lFOltl IhRS l.
country drive is a solemn trial Of
horse versus hill, and buggy versus
mud, and the issue often hangs ia
fearful suspense. The modern Jehu
must shrug his shoulders, resign him
self and trust to Providence to got a
bale OF cotton to market. We some-
times ridicule the custom observed
in certain countries of placing a
chapel on high mountain top, so
that the faithful shall be compelled
to do penanco by oliming to the steep
precipice, leaving bloody foot stops
upon the path. We do worse. We
compel the faithful to creep and
crawl, and worm their way through
n dark and dubious collection of slush
and logs and stumps to reach tho
house of God, and then console them
with the statement that the Lord is
giving us to much rain, but that call
things work together for good to
them that love tho Lord" Good
roads will do moro toward bringing
the country and town together than
all the political haraagues of q cam
paign year.
Tho officers Of road inquiry at
Washington have collected mas
terly array Of statistics. We are
told that the average cost of hauling
one ton per mile in tho United
States is 25 cents. In Europe,
where good macadamized roads are
found the average cost is s 6~1O
cents. In other words, for every
dollar spent in Europe VIC spend
three dollars in America to accom-
plish tho same work. Good roads
would save the United States $780,
100000 per annum. Macadamizcd
roads will add $1.25 to the value of
every acre of land along which the
road passes.
1t is not our purpose at this time
or place to go into the technical de-
tails of modern road-making. This
is a problem for the practical
engineer.
Reform must 60 through the three
stages of ridicule, agitation and ac-
ceptance. The scholar in practical
life must grapple this question. Dor
mant enthusiasm will revive when
we have good words from good men.
This cxtravagant, wastefui indiffer-
cnce on the road question will con-
tinue so long as the scholar in prac-
tical life fails to give the subject the
cold recognition Of passing glance.
The first duty of the scholar, there
fore, is to inform himself thoroughly
along this line. Read the latest litera-
ture, which can be had from the gov
ernment for the asking. The scho-
lar should become a repeater,
responder, a reporter. Proclaim the
glad tidings of the "Gospcl of Good
Roads" One by one the converts
will fall into line and his army of
progress will march on to the great
est victory of civilization.
do not know what method will
be adopted. 1t may be the New
Jersey plan Of dividing the burden
so that the cost falls upon the State,
the county and the adjoining prop
erty owners. The adjoining prop
erty owner pays 10 per cent of the
cost, the State pays one-third and
! the county the remainder. Or we
may adopt the system so popular in
North Carolina-utilizc our convicts
to build permanent highways.
just now, however, it is not so
much question of method az II
question of spirit. Let the scholar
in practical life build good roads in
the heads of the people, and it will
not be long till We have good roads
beneath the feet of the people.
Young ladies and gentlemen, |
have finished my message. | have
departed somewhat from the tradi-
tional subjects prescribed by college
conventionality for commencement
orations. I have done it because |
believe that the education that you
are receiving in this grand, historic
institution will, if rightly used, be
blessing TO you in business life, as
wei! as in professional life.
Peter Cooper wrote this inscrip-
tion on a scroll to be placed in a
cornerstone Of the Cooper Institute.
1t 80 admirably sums up my line of
thought that | will give it as a clos.
ing quotation
"rhe great object that desire to
accomplish by tho erection of this in
stitution, is to ope;, mp the avenues
of scientific knowledge to the youth
of ouI city and country, and so un-
fold the volume of nature, that the
young may see the beauties of crca-
ton, enjoy it's blessing and learn to
love the author from whom cometh
every good and perfect gift"