The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-02-18

NIX. :
Mr. Abbott, Of Colorado. who repre-
sents the Government in the Pacific
States, was then introduced by Col
Moore. He said in part:
This country, which / represent, this
great western empire beyond the Mis-
souri,, is more primitive in It's roads than
any portion OF your South. But they
have begun TO wake up to the question
The other day there was placed in my
hands a cops CT your Sunday paper and
] was astonished. thank you for the
assistance which YOU have given me. 7
am going to take that paper and circu-
late 1t all over my territory, and tell
them that it is To the South they can
look for inspiration upon this great
question" (~Applause)
Mr.. Abbott spoke of the great wheat
interests Of the West, shoWing how the
limit Of miles that could be traversei
10 The railroad would be more than
doubled by the good roads.
On this line. ne said:
Of We could put the matter in the
same state it is in France il would save
Tho people no less than enough to pay
the national debit"
Referring TO Secretary Hays poem.
Jim Bledsoe. he said:
When Col. Moore started on this
movement it was q f0rlorn hope, but.
like Jim Bledsoe, he seen his duty, and
done it thar and then"
Speaking Of the newspapers. he said:
When l get back to the Pacific slope
I am glad that [ shall get messages from
YOU, telling OF your work and helping Us
out in ours.
at ~ a triad hard 10 Get tho ~ Nayg
TO take up this question. and / AVE had
hard work to do it. But. up in Spo.
kane. a large paper has promised 10
publish an editorial every Sunday, if |
furnish them the material Tor It.
BEST EVER PUBLISHED.
This is not necessary here in the
South. That paper Of yours that Went
out last Sunday is the best good roads
edition Of any paper that has ever been
published in the United States CHeaa-
= applause.)
Just as Mr.. Abbott concluded. Senator
+. NJ. simmons entered the hall and was
escorted to the platform.
PRESIDENT WINSTON.
President Geo. T. Winston. OF the \.
and NJ. Collese, was then Introduced. He
said:
My subject is The Economy Of Good
Roads but ! shall rather speak on the
cost Of bad roads, It has been calcu-
lated that the people OF North Carolina
are taxed about $4,000, 900 annually. As
Prof Holmes has put it, they are pay
ing annually a $40, 900 900 mud tax.
Mr.. Dodge stated that the people
were paying a per capita tax OF about
S10 IF fGnCo ir-l1 zoe bo f.1I, tho aay,i
Of North Carolina are paying out an
nually $40, 900, coo. But there is no tax
collector 10 get this money.
I'VE find hurdeneome the tax to the
State of less than one dollar, and vet
we pay this tax Of $40 without knowing
it. IN everything We DO we are paying
the road tax
This was brought out by showing how
the efficiency Of our horses, vehicles.
etc, IS diminished by bad roads, and
thus goes toward paying the invisible
tax. No sheriff, 70 collector need come,
this tax collects itself.
No wonder that the young men, tho
doctors and the preachers. came 10 the
help of Capt. Alexander in Mecklenburg.
for they are the ones that have to travel
the roads. and pay this awful tax.
Speaking of the young men in this
connection, President Winston said:
4 think it can be shown that bad
roads are q detriment even to nlatri-
mony.
"One-tenth of that tax would increase
TO ten months the school term in every
county in the State.
The farmer must not merely pro
duce, he must put his product where it
can be sold.
He spoke of the favored portions of the
country around the great lakes and the
seaboard, saying that these sections were
SO wealthy because they did not have
this tax 10 pay.
"Whsn Dewitt Clinton" he said,
built the canal to the Great Lakes, he
knew the value of good roads, and he
made them out Of water, and thereby
made New York the great metropolis
that she is.
1T is not by accident that tbs great
cities Of the world are on the water.
They have sought natures good roads,
and thereby escape the mud tax. Then
when men made artificial good roads of
iron. cities We're quilt up near railroads,
where they, too. avoided the road TAX.
"One hundred years ago four-fiftias of
the people in the United States lived in
the country, and they owned four-fifths
Of the property In the country. NOW
lives in the city and owns roar
ifths of the property. The most potent
fer this is that the half that lives
in the city does not have 10 pay the in
visible road tax
II say the payment of the $50. 900. WO
annually is net the chief drain OF the
country. You remember that rhe city OF
Ihebes was compelled to send every
year an offering of choice maideus and
young men to the Island of Cyprus 10 be
~deVoured by the Minotaur. That is the
this country is making. 1t is
sending its choice naidens and young
men as a sacrifice to the city. | know
If some of the cnIlntry h0yS did no.