Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-27

be held until the completion Of the work
according to the plans and specifications
and to the satisfaction Of the director Of
said bureau
A Wise Provision.
'This is a wise provision and will put
every community upon its mettle. Those
| that are imbued with the spirit of progress
and Improvement will not hesitate to avail
themselves Of this assistance in building
good roads. The passage Of this bill will
be a distinctive and era-making event in
the legislation of the country. To one who
properly considers all the benefits that will
accrue to the nation and to all its citizens
by the passage of this bill, 1t must be con-
coded that no other legislation has ever
been fraught with so much good for the
people and with such grand possibilities
Say what we please about the influence of
| public schools, the press. the pulpit, the
platform and other institutions that mark
the civilized progress of mankind. yet all
| these are more or less dependent upon the
facilities of intercourse between the peo-
pie. In fact it is an undeniable truth that
civilization means labor In some form. and
place to place and its efficiency depends
| upon the ease with which they are moved
No nation has ever yet achieved perma-
nent renown without good roads or ever
| built them and regretted 1t afterwards. No
community in possession of good roads
| would be willing to surrender them upon
| the repayment of their cost and mainte-
| aggregated bodies or by government agen-
eies. while 1t may not be the least felt, it
produces the greatest good and the great
est satisfaction to the greatest number.
Everybody uses good roads; the million
afre and the beggar, the black and the
white, the lame and the blind. women and
| children. all enjoy and participate In the
advantages and blessings Of good roads.
They are the morning star Of progress; they
are the fountain heads Of trade and COM
merce; they are the avenues over which
pass the main agencies for the dissemina-
ton Of knowledge and the increase of in
telligence as well as the enjoyments Of
social intercourse in rural life. They pro-
vide the means for the performance Of pub
lie duty; of reaching local markets or ship
ping points on the railways. They serve
more country people In the aggregate than
the railroads themselves.
A Timely Measure
'Thfs bill Of Mr.. Brownlow's Is most time
ly The rapid extension Of the rural free
delivery system. now covering 800, 600
square miles, and destined in the near
future to be extended to the 10000 600 peo-
pie living in the rural districts makes good
roads a necessity. Why should the United
States. that has attained supremacy over
all other nations in wealth and in a world
wide influence in commerce and diplomacy,
hesitate to enter upon a work that will bind
its citizens to 1t with loyalty exceeding
the loyalty of the people of any other ma
ton whatever? Why hesitate to do that
which every person desires to be done In
some way? Why hesitate when good roads
are the most important factors in carrying
out the wise provisions for increasing the
intelligence of it's citizenship through rural
free delivery? No other highly civilized
nation on earth has SO many bad roads as
| the United States England, France. Ger
many, Spain, Italy, all have good roads,
'"This government belongs to the people.
They Instituted 1t for their own welfare
They are the rulers. Congress is but one
| of the agencies they have created to pro-
vide for their wants and to execute their
will. There is constitutional barrier
| to the building of roads, The same clause
| In the Constitution that authorizes the es-
establishment of post roads. These two
constitutional bestowments are coordinate
branches created for the accomplishment
OF the same great end-that is, the con-
venience and happiness of the people.
Appropriations for Agriculturista
But aside from the necessity of build
ing good highways for the better distribu-
tion Of the mails through rural districts. 1t
should be borne in mind that the agrfcul-
tural classes while doing more to sustain
the credit Of the government and the fnan-
ctal strength of its people than all other
classes combined. have had the smallest
appropriations made for their immediate
benefit. The urban population has long
been provided, at the expense Of the gov
eminent, with messengers for the delivery
Of mall The shipping interests have had
the harbors and rivers improved to expedite
| their business. The cities have been pro-
| vided with post Office buildings, the archi-
tectural beauty and cost Of which surpass
those of any other nation. Railroads have
made use Of the credit of the government.
Iron masters have depended upon the gov
eminent to construct great locks and dams
for facilitating the assembling of the ma
terials at cheap rates for making iron.
The tariff laws have been shaped to benefit
the manufacturers. No sane man objects
to the majority Of such appropriations.
They are needed to foster and increase the
commerce of the nation. But are they
more important to the great mass Of cit
liens than good roads through the country?
Such roads cheaper food and clothing, ex-
tend trade, make many commodities valua-
BILE that are valueless without them; save
time. and, indeed. improve the opportuni-
ties Of every citizen, whether he lives in the 4
town or country or is sailor on the wide
ocean. Good roads through the rural dis
trfcts would relieve the congestion OF pop
ula Hon IN the great citiaa Co,1ptYv- life