The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-04-29
he FAVORS
GOOD ROADS
Miles Principal Speaker in
National Convention.
HIGHWAYS ARE NEGLECTED.
From Military Viewpoint He
Outlines Advantages.
HIGHWAYS ARE NEGLECTED.

st. Louis, April 2s.-The second days
session of the National and international
Good Roads convention opened with ]
better attendance than yesterday. Rev.
w. Banks Rogers, S. J., president of st.
Louis University. delivered the invoca-
ton
President Moore then introduced Gen
eral Nelson A. Miles, L. S. a, and pres
ident of the National Highway commits
sion, who made the principal address
of the forenoon.
General Miles was received with great
enthusiasm by the delegates. He spoke
on the subject. Military Roads and Il
National Highway" and said in part:
Il know of no one element of civiliza-
ton in our country that has been more
neglected and yet that is suspectible of
bestowing a greater blessing upon our
people than the improvements of our
lines of communication and avenues OF
international commerce
our government has expended five
hundred millions of dollars for the i'm
provement of our harbors and water
wards, and now the attention of the pub
lie being called to our postal roads and
avenues of communication that are most
useful and important to all our people
IF such expenditures of the national
treasure have been made in the past for
the development of railroads and water
wards, is it not now a most appropriate
time that the Improvement of our roads
should receive national attention and
governmental aid
The property of the people, the wealth
of the nation. comes from the ground
The factory and foundry increases and
utilize the products of the soil and mine;
agriculture is our principal industry so
the great mass of our rural people are
our main dependence; their patriotism.
their public spirit their welfare must
eve rbe the salvation and glory of our
republic. Therefore every measure
whether by the national government, the
state, county or municipaI authorities,
that can promote the welfare of the peo-
pie should not be withheld, but should
be most earnestly advocated and most
generously bestowed.
ANY roads that can be made useful
for industrial and peaceful pursuits can
be utilized for military purposes. We
are not an empire or a military des-
potism, and therefore are not devising
means for purely military purposes"
Hon II. r. Jesse, president University
of Missouri, spoke on THE Relation of
Good Roads and Schools" and was fol-
lowed by former Governor ]. r. Hogg.
of Texas, who made an impromptu
speech on the subject before the conven-
ton.
William j. Bryan. on the same subject.
spoke as follows:
The expenditure of money for the per-
manent improvements of the common
roads can be defended, first, as mat
ter OF justice. 20 the people who live in
the country; second. as a matter of adj
vance to the people who do not live IN
the country and, third. on the ground
that the welfare of the nation demands
that the comforts of the country life
shall. as far as possible. keep pace with
the comforts of city life.
1T is a well known fact or a fact easily
ascertained that the people in the coun
try. while paying their full share of couu-
ty. state and federal taxes. receive as
rule only the general benefits Of govern
ment. while the people in the cities have.
in addition to the protection afforded BY
the government. the advantage arising
from the expenditure OF public moneys in
their midst
The improvements of the country roads
can be justified also on the ground that
,ho
OF the producers of wealth. ought TO be
in a position to hold his crop and market
1t al the most favorable opportunity,
where at present he is virtually under
compulsion to sell it as soon as ii is
mstured because the roads may become
impossible at any time during the fall.
winter or spring. Instead of being his
own warehouseman. the farmer is COM
PEELED TO employ middlemen and share
with them the profit upon his labor.
The farmer has a right. too. to insist
upon the roads that will enable him T.
go down TO town, to church. to the schoi
house and TO the homes Of his neighbors
as occasion may require and with the ex-
tension Of rural delivery. he has an add
tional need for good roads in order that
he may be kept in communication with
the outside world.
II is important for the welfare OF our
government and for the advancement Of
our civilizs ton that we make life upon
the farm as attractive as possible
Notwithstanding the introduction OF
free letter delivery. the telephone. gas
manufacturing plants and the extension
Of electric ear lines. there still remains
a pressing need for better country roads
a need emphasized and made more appar-
ent by the pavement OF city streets As
long as mud placed an embargo upon city
trafic the farmer could bear his mud
made isolation with less complaint. bsit
with the Improvement OF city streets AMI
with the establishment Of parks and buie-
Yards the farmers just demands for bet
ter roads find Increasing expression. The
people now realize that bad roads are
ard are prepared TO con-
slider the remedy"
-