Mexico weekly ledger., 1901-08-15
HAWKINS WRITES AGAIN
he still Thinks That Rock Roads Are
the Only Solution For
the Farmer.

diligence while l pen you n more
article in confirmation Of what has
been said in the former communion
tions. We are not dismayed, nor sur
prised. that one OF our good citizens
oppose the suggestions. The best
things that have blessed the world in
all ages and countries have had their
opposers, and very often from mex
pected sources. l was in the eastern
part of the county last week and spoke
to many people on the subject, and
find most of the better Informed and
the practical thinking men endorse
the plan.
The editor Of the Laddonia Herald
and the editors of some other papers
Of the county lose sight of the main
issue and call it a calamity howl. The
pressing and indispensable needs of
rock roads is the issue before us in
this discussion and the hard times and
the needs of the people within the
next year or so is only referred to in
cidentallY as a pressing reason why
the roads should be built 10Y The
better the times, the greater the adj
vantages and convenience of the Inn
prevents.
The editor of the Vandalia Leader
can see nothing In il but the sordld
lust Of the Mexico monied man to
secure the non-taxable bonds of the
county and some others insinuate that
all the roads would be built toward
the Athens of the county, meaning
Mexico, of course. II these gentlemen
would remove the beam Of jealousy
and prejudice from their own eyes
they could see more clearly the mote
in their neighbours eye.
Lei me repeat that, in my first
article, it was plainly suggested
that the money be divided fairly, ac-
cording to the taxable valuation Of
each township, or by some other rule,
whereby each township or town in the
county should receive its Just dues in
the division of the money to be ex-
pended in the building of the roads.
Can't these opposers of the project
give some plausible reasons for their
opposition?
One mar said to me that 1t was a
Republican scheme. Oh, myl l have
been accused Of many things, but that
is the first time l have been accused Of
advocating a Republican scheme.
But we ought not to be too previous.
Look at our fine post-pfice building
the pride Of the county and an orna-
ment to our city. IL is the only favor
the Ninth Congressional District ever
received from the government at
| Washington; and it stands here as a
reminder of the terrible blunder the
people made in sending a Republican
Congressman in 1896. So, my friends,
don't forget that some good can come
even out Of Nazareth,
was in Rails and Pike counties last
week and made some inquiries in re-
ference to the gravel roads built there.
The turnpike from New London to
Hannibal was built more than forty
years ago, and has been a great feeder
of the latter city. And the people Of
Rails county have spent, in these forty
years, as toll, more money than would
have rocked all the roads in thecounty.
And the county court has made
many efforts to buy The road, but the
owners find it a good investment and
refuse to sell 1t at a reasonable price.
So, in Pike, Jno. B. Henderson & Co.
built many gravel and rock roads in
that county and afterwards sold out to
the county at a great profit, 50, you see
Mr.. Editor, if private corporations can
build and operate rock roads as a pay
ing investment, why can't the county
as a corporation, and every citizen a
member of that corporation, build
roads and use them as a good invest
ment?
Now it seems to me that these are
fair and pertinent questions and ap.
plicable to the subject in hand.
Some of our editors in the county
have said: ''There is no reason to bond
the county or city at this time" And
lthen in the next issue say that such
and such a gentleman called on them
and opposed the plan. OF course a par
rot can repeat what other people say,
Many people are asking why the
editors of the county papers are moi
speaking out on the subject. They are
supposed to be the moulders Of senti'
ment on all important questions. And
as their opportunities for information
and their standing in a community
give them prestige, the people reason
ably expect them to be outspoken on
all questions of practical utility.
Some say to bond the county would
drive out capital. Nonsense. The
people Of st. Louis have obligated
and involved themselves and offspring
for generations to come I'M debt fol
millions of dollars for public improve
, ments, and to-day more people arr
: going to and investing their money II
st. Louis real estate, and property /
E demanding higher prices than wa
ever known in the history OF the coun
try. Why? Because men are no
: afraid to invest their money wher'
! they see push and enterprise in tn
way Of public Improvements.
. The editor of the Centralia Courie
can see nothing but rot in our antici
I pations Of hard times for the poor ant
laboring classes of our citizens in tn
0 near future.
B When we see the almost utter fail
b ure of crops of all kinds; the shippin
from the county OF all sorts Of stock
regardless of the panic prices on tn
markets; corn, oats, hay, and in fact
everything necessary for mar an
. beast demanding fabulous pricesl Il
midsummer; thousands Of our peopl
. idle, and many Of them moving fror
town and county hunting employment
? in more favored parts Of the land;
stagnation in every business enterpris
Ito call this report mere rot a ma
proves himself to be a mutton-hea
and a false friend to the needy, an
sleeping the sleep Of the immortal RI
Van Wrinkle, and will wake up to Il
! retaliation Of the sad mistake 10
sooth at the end Of forty years. "
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