The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1903-01-01

This is over six times, or 600 per cent.
of the necessary costs Of the main
roads for the entire country.
'If the direct comforts, benefits and
savings will equal the direct saving,
we will have another item Of $500, 900,
600. This makes the total benefits
from good main roads equal to some
thing like 100000, 100000, or fifteen
times their cost. The interest from
this sum at per cent would pay the
cost of building the finest and best
main roads in the world throughout
the entire country each and every
year.
''These benefits are so enormous
that it is difficult to rightly compre-
bend them without making some com
parsons. The benefits of $50, 0OO, 900,
600, for instance, are nearly 100 times
the amount of the cost OF the Spanish
war, and certainly appear to make
this the greatest economic question
before this country at the present
time.
Now, what is being done to meet
this enormous problem! In the early
part Of the past century, when our
country was new and our resources
small, Congress appropriated some
| $4,000, 900 for national aid in road
building, since which time most OF
| our roads have largely taken care OF
themselves and their deplorable con-
dition have attained world wide
reputation.
ITO meet this enormous and i'm
portant problem Congress at it's last
session appropriated the trifling sum
of 100000 and only $4,000 the year
previous, at which time an increase
OF that sum to $15O,OOO was defeated
by close vote by the energetic efforts
of our progressive chairman of the
agricultural committee.
AT the first session of this Fifty
seventh Congress the lamented Mr..
! Otey of Virginia introduced a bill for
| $4,000 for road improvements. This
seemed 3 very modest beginning to
meet the enormous interests involved
in the road question, which appear to
reach values of nearly 800 times that
sum. The bill is still in the hands OF
! the committee.
The first bill presented to the
! House at this session was by Mr..
Brownlow, Of Tennessee, for very
comprehensive and practical system
of improving our country roads and
appropriating the small sum OF $780,
100000 to be used with equal sums
paid by the localities or States in
which the roads are improved. II
| this bill becomes a law it should in
augurate a road movement which, in
a short time, would result in this
country's having the finest and best
roads to be found anywhere in the
world, and save hundreds of millions
OF dollars to the people of the coun-
try each year.
=" 1t is evident that, if this stipend
Gus question is to be rightly met in
the spirit OF economy, progress and
enterprise SO characteristic of the
people Of this country, it will be nee
essary for our legislators to give il
much more comprehensive and care.
full attention than heretofore.
1.-The idea of hesitating to spend
300, 900, 900 or several times that sum
in order to attain benefits several
hundred times as great is inconsistent
with broad-minded craftsmanship,
especially when the entire outlay
should be saved in a few years.
IA business man conducting his af
fairs in this manner would Justly re-
ceive universal derision and ridicule.
Evidently the patriotism of the cit
liens of this country should move
them to urge their representatives. to
take prompt and definite action in
this matter, the present practical
phrase of which would appear to be
the converting of the Brownlow bill
into a law which would materially
benefit each and every individual in
this country and confer untold ad-
yantages on future generations.-Th
! Washington Evening Star.
SWANT0N.
The Christmas entertainment in