The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-09-04
THE QUESTION OF GOOD ROADS
An Interesting Lecture Before the Cot
ton states Commissioners of Agrf-
Correspondence of the Messenger.)
Raleigh, ". c.. August 80.


Raleigh, ". c., August 80.
In an address here last night on
Road Building and Other Problems in
the Agricultural Development of the
Southern States" State Geologist
Holmes said:
The general progress made by the
people of the southern states during
the last twenty years has been phe-
nomenal. In the matter Of education
our schools are greatly more numerous
n IN every way more efficient;
amount of grain and cotton produced
now Is twice that Of 1850, and the
amount Of this cotton manufactured
at home is today more than six times
as great as in 1880; the amount of cap
ital invested in various manufacturing
enterprises is now more than four
times what it was then, and there has
been a still greater increase in the
value OF our fac products.
Thus in the manufacture OF cotton
seed oil, an industry scarcely thought
of twenty-five years g now $4,000
900 are invested. The increase in
railroad mileage, mining and various
miscellaneous enterprises has been in
| keeping with this general progress.
But there has not been a correspond
ing development and improvement in
general agriculture, indeed in some
phases of general agriculture but lit
tie progress has been made. Our far
mers handle correSpondingly larger
sums of money, but in general less Of
it remains TO their credit than was
formerly the case.
AS we are now about TO begin a new
| century, we must in a friendly and
yet in a critical, earnest and serious
spirit examine the doingS of the past
in order that if possible We may i'm
prove the future conditions of the
farming classes. There are two great
phases of this problem:
(2). We must increase and diversity
the products of the farm; (2), We
must decrease the expense incurred.
In doing this we must not only try
to make two blades of grass grow
where only one grew before, but We
must see to it as far as possible that
every acre we Own-whether it be of
water, swamp, and hill, or arabic
land-prOduceS something of value
either something in the way of food
fishes, water plants, timber, mining
or agricultural or horticultural pro-
ducts. BY steadily following this pur-
pose, We may increase both the guam
tity and the variety of the products
Of the soil. And meanwhile We must
keep in mind what has been one Of the
secrets of the agricultural progress
in other countries, namely the steady
improvement in the fertility of the
soil itself. We continue to a about
the land poor" farmers all through
the southern states. This is not so
much because our farmers own too
much land as it is that they fail TO
make this land productive.
SOME UNNECESSARY EXPENSES.
In our effort to decrease expenses
connected with farming operations,
we must not overlook certain large
and equally unnecessary expenses
which we and our fathers have been
mourning and which are now counting
heavily against us. 1t is often said
that we are the most waSteful people
in the world, and our history through
out the century now nearing Its end
owe the accuracy of this statement.
%. we allow our surface soils with
their added manures n fertilizers
to wash away year after year TO an
extent beyond estimate in money VAL
ue, aggregating many millions.
(2). we careleSSly and needleSSly
burn up our forests to the extent of
many millions of dollars every year.
Careful estimates have shown that
the annual loss from forest fires in
North Carolina alone average consid-
erably more han a million dollars
every year.
90. In North Carolina we have ex-
pended of money, labor and timber in
unnecessary fencing during the past
half century considerably more tina
a million dollars per annum. In other
southern states this unnecessary ex-
pense has doubtless been equally great.
%. We allow our farm n cotton
crops and fruits to be destroyed un-
necessarily by insects; n our cattle
n poultry to die of ~preventable dis
eases to the value of several millions
each year. And I'LL personal loss on
account of sickness and time, medical
fees, ETC., from such ~preventable dis
eases as malaria and yphold fever
aggregate far more than is usually
supposed-a large part of which loss
can be easily avoided by the exercise
of more care in providing for ourselves
good drinking water.
60. The money, time and labor
thrown away every year in our eff
forts to cultivate certain crops
on lands not suited to them will ag-
gregate an annual loss OF many MIL
lions. in each state.
CO.. The use of our poor public ROADS
costs us in North Carolina about $780,
900 dollars more each year than 1t
would cost if these roads were good
ones.
In the thirteen southern states taken
as a whole this annual loss Will aggre-
gate not less than 500, 900, 900 per an
mum.
THE GOOD ROADS PROBLEM IN
THE SOUTH.
That this is a problem of vital i'm
p~ortance every one admits. As stated
above, the use of u bad roads as
compared with the use of good roads
costs the people of the southern states
TO an extent which may be considered
as to a taX-cal it a mud
tax. a sand tax, or a hill tax If You
lke-of not less than $500 per capita
for every man, woman n child liv-
ing in these states. And yet this tax
SO enormous has no compensating ben
efts. We must realize, further, that
i'm addition these a roads exercise a
blighting influence on the life n hap
piness of the people in every agri-
cultural community
SOME DIFFICULTIES IN THE WAY
AND HOW TO OVERCOME
THEM.
In the first place, our people have
always been accustomed to bad roads.
The majority of them have never seen
"l