Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1899-03-25

WIFI h'tA ah' Ab"-
rcau of Postoficcs and Post Ronds
Has the Po,yer-Wnr Revenue Bill
to re Continued to Furnish Funds.
Colonel J. B. Killebrew, leading
railroad man of Nashville i'll an inter
view ON good roads in The Southern
Farm Magazine of Baltimore, takes the
radical position that they should be
built by the national government. He
says:
1.-The power given in the constitution
to hluld post roads and postot1ices may
be construed so as to include all roads
made for carrying mails, and that under
this provision it would be proper for the
national government to undertake very
prehensiye system of road building.
The advantages of good roads would be
of such inestmabIe value to the people
at large, and especially to the great
agricultural intcrests-the foundation
of our national wealth-that the sub
ieCt demands the favorable consideration
of the whole country. The benefits re-
sulting from the adoption by the gov
eminent of some general plan for build
ing and improving roads would i'll ev-
cry respect be beneficial to the people
and to the country. 1t would furnish
employment to all the idle labor of the
country, and this labor would not be i'll
competition with the abOr now employ
ed in industrial and agricultural pur-
suits In fact, it would relieve the con-
gestion in the labor market for some
70 hot
would be felt i'll every avenue of bust
ness. While employed i'll making better
roads, this labor would benefit every
class III every community without in
juring any.
1.-The building of good roads would
relieve the congestion of population in
cities by making life i'll the country
more pleasant and attractive. The great
est drawback to country life is the i'll
ability to move with ease from point to
point, owing to the muddy roads, which
are sometimes impossible for five or SIX
months in the year, making such a life
confined and barren of all social enjoy
ment, placing the country people i'll
many sections at such great dlsad-
vantage that ambition is crushed, ener-
gies are weakened, industry paralyZed
and ignorance is increasing rather than
diminishing-at least in some districts
This state of things, for which the peO
pie of the country districts are not re-
sponsible, drives thousands to the cities,
where they often suffer privation and
poverty, which lead them into tempta-
ton and frequently into crime.
Good roads, wherever built. would
increase the value of property through
ont the country. They would make the
markets more accessible and in every
way add to the profits as we'll as to
the enjoyment of country life and thus
to the moral and material advancement
of the nation.
"Suppose the general government
should appropriate every year an amount
equal to that now expended for pen
sions, say, $3.50, 600, 0O0 for the build
ing and Improvement of the roads of
the country This would give, in round
numbers, 81 per capita for the entire
population of the United States A
county covering, say, 800 square miles,
with a population of %, 600, would re-
ceive annually for the building of roads
$50, 600. This continued for ten years
would grade, maCadamiZe and gravel
every road i'll an average county of this
area. Who would begrudge the eXpendi
ture after such roads had been built?
Who would not say that the expenditure
was Il wise one, elGvating i'll its intlu
enCe and adding immensely to the tan
gible wealth of the country? We are
now paying more than this amount on
the expenditures of the Spanish war. Is
there a single person who would not re-
ceive "a benefit from good roads far
greater i'll amount than he now pays III
war taxes? Put it i'll another way. Is
there IA single person now using the
highways of the country OF whose bust
ness is in any way affected by the traffic
on the highways Of the country (and
this touches the business interests of ev
cry man and woman i'll the United
States who would not be willing to pay
as much for good roads as he now pays
for the war with Spain?
1.-The revenue bill passed by the last
session of congress i'll order to raise
lundS LOT carrying on the war promises
to yield much larger income than will
be needed for War expenses. Broadly
stated, it may be said that the people of
the country do not feel these war taxes,
and if this bill should be continued in
effect and the surplus revenue to the eX-
tent of, say, $3.50, 600, 900 year, be
voted to the improvement of the roads
fhrpnu bnut tbp rOnntrU the 1Ori on tnr1l
interests of every section would be rev
olutionized, farm life would become
popular, and vast upward movement
would be given to every phase and fea-
ture of the business, social and educa
tional life of America. -
Wide Tire Benefits.
The advantages derived from the use