The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1902-02-13
Southern Cultiya.or.

Roads May be Constructed at Lit
tie Cost.
Southern Cultiva.or
Every oGe is interested in having
good roads. They are public bless
ing, free and open to all. Business
bf all kinds is benefited by easy, safe
and rapid communications. Railroads.
paved streets and trolley ears are but
these benefit the cities and towns
where they are located and used.
they only prove the great neces-
>ity for the multiplication and extern
sion.
Good public roads in this country
are on the same line and as much
necessity for the full development Of
country life as are the others for city
life. In fact n city life is only possible
AS an outcome OF country life. so
there should be only the full accom-
pl'shment of the country convenience
Facility ir getting to market is
prime factor in the highest prosperity
of a community. Marketing is vital
part of all successful agriculture.
The importance of this feature has
too long been overlooked. The farmer
is more dependent upon markets than
any class OF laborers. Selling is a
vital part Of his very existence. II
he caunnt sell, we need MOI grow
crops. To him then. good roads are
OF the greatest Importance. The
better the roads, the greater the
profits.
We will not go over the oft repeat
ed, but ever true, arguments on this
line. His financial success, his social
happiness, his moral and spiritual
growth are all involved in the road
question. Nay, his very existence as
Il farmer and the continuance of has
children in some line of business are
frequently decided by the character
Of the roads in his community. M~nv
Il man has moved to town To get rid
Of the ruts in summer and the mud
IN winter.
The cities might as well leave their
streets unpaved and expect to grow
as for the country to expect perna
nent and increased prosperity with
out good roads. They are at once Il
luxury and necessity to rarm pros
perity.
HOW CAN WE GET THEM ?
Much easier than most of us have
thought. 1t only requires little
proper planning. good system will
soon give us good roads at cost
that will not be at all burdensome.
The two leading items of expense
are material and labor; and labor is
the greatest OF these. This can be
furnished at a low figure by using the
convict labor on the public roads. 1t
is the proper place for convict labor
and the only proper place to work it.
Everywhere else they come more or
less in competition with free labor
and contribute more or less TO the
building mp of private fortunes of a
few individuals at the expense OF the
general public. When crime is
committed all the cost OF trial and
conviction is borne by the commun-
ily where the crime occurred. Then
Is II simple matter Of justice TO the
com munity anything of value result
ing from the labor of the persons so
convicted ought to be distributed
among the people who suffered the
loss and bore the expense. This can
be done in no other way than by
working the convict for the benefit Of
that community. and the public road
is the only place that this can be
done. The public road belongs to
every body, is used by everybody, is
kept up by sverybody. The road tax
is no small matter and can be tighten
al in no other way.
As criminals belong to the public,
they should be worked for the public
good. This cannot be done anywhere
else except on public rosds. No sy~-
TEN Of leasing or farming yet devised,
distributes their labor for the public
good.