The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1901-05-15
GOOD ROADS PROCLAMATION.
Gov. Longino Speaks to Missis
sippians ON an All-Impor-
tapt Subject.

To the People OF Mississippi;
The time seems ripe for calling the
serious attention of the people of the
State to the necessity for good roads.
We are soon to have an object lesson
in the construction of durable and per-
manent highways, and no thoughtful
citizen can fail to see that the Nation
al Good Roads Association is pointing
us in the right direction. Mississippi
is prominently an agricultural state,
and though truism, it is none the
less true that agriculture is dependent
as much almost on good roads as good
soil, for the products of the soil are
valuable just in proportion as they are
marketable and no town or city may
properly be denominated market
which does not meet the fundamept-
al conditions of accessibility,
Conversion of the rights OF way,
from mud, dust and discomfort into
smooth, hard highways, passable at
every season with full loads, with CON-
fort to man and humanity to beasts, is
a subject which concerns alike the
equipage of the millionaire, the team
of the farmer, the cart of the laborer
and the feet of the wayfaring man. 1t
is the opinion of well-informed people
who have made practical a study OF
economic problems that superb roads
have been and are among the most
steady and potent contributions to the
material development and marvellous
financial elasticity of any country.
Good roads pay directly by increas.
ing the value of land, in reducing the
number of draft animals necessary, in
saving wear and tear to man, beast and
vehicle, imReasgrably shortening
time and space and erasing from the
calendar the days which are now spent
in idleness on account of bad weather
and consequently impossible roads.
Markets would always be accessible
and perishable goods, which are now
often q total loss to the producer,
could at all times be realized on.
Good roads pay indirectly in promot-
ing the social, educational and relig-
ious interests of the country commun-
tiles. Easy access to town, church and
school would relieve the life of farm
err of most of its limitations, and people
would be more content to live in
the country because they could get to
| the city with greater ease and comfort.
Frequent intercourse with the cities
and towns would serve to dispel
the illusion, which, In the minds OF
many rural folks, hangs over urban
life and constrains them to quit the
farm, thus robbing the State of her
yeomanry, a source upon which the
body polite always has drawn and al.
ways will for new life, health and
strength But there is little need to
maintain thesis so self evident. That
something must be done to improve
the roadways of Mississippi is fact
which no man 10 this day will be rash
enough to deny.
|, therefore, cordially invite and ur,
gently call upon as many patriotic
Mississippians as possible to attend q
Good Roads Convention to be held in
the city of jackson on the 14th and
18th days of June, 1901, for the pur
pose of perfecting a permanent good
roads organization in the State, look
ing to the adoption of uniform sys
tenn for the improvement of the high
ways of travel by the use of modern
scientific and up-to-date contrivances
material and methods.
In furtherance of this scheme / dc
most urgently request the boards Of
supervisors of the various counties tt
attend the said convention and the
presidents thereof to appoint one OIL
more additional delegates from eact
supervisors district to attend the con
vention. | further request all munic
ipal authorities, commercial and in
dustrial organizations of the State tt
appoint delegates and urge their at
tendance. A liberal reduction of rail
road and hotel rates will be given al
who attend. Newspapers favorable tt
the movement will please copy.
Respectfully,
A. III. LONGING,
Governor.