The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-05-11

end there is every reason why this aid
should, in my judgment, he extended.
I'VE have appropriated $4,000 coo in
lump sum for road building in the Philip
pine islands, principally. We are told, III
order 10 give work to the people. II this
is done for the Fiipinos. why should 1t
not be done for our own people? However,
while that might be legitimate argument.
we do not base our advocacy of federal
aid upon any such grounds. We con-
tend that it would be not only wise policy
on the part of the government. which is
the representative of all the people. to
spend a portion of the government funds
to which all the people contribute in aid
ing the development of the highways upon
which is transported such a great per
cent Of the products Of the country, put
that this would be good business.
statistics show that it costs three
hundred millions of dollars more to trans
port the farm products of the country
over the dirt roads than ii does over the
T railroads The average cost per ton for
the transportation of products over dirt
roads is % cents per mile, while the cost
over properly meCadamized roads is from
5 to cents per mile. An adequate sys-
tenn of good roads would save large sums
to the producers, would mean greater
productions and greater profits would
greatly increase the value of farm lands
and in consequence would through this
increase in tax valuations, soon reimburse
the states and counties for their outlay.
and at the same time by increasing the
earning capacity of the agricultural pro-
ducing classes would greatly Increase
their power of consumption and in this
way would increase the imDortations SO
that the federal government would, in
turn, be repaid for its outlay. AS sim
pie business proposition, It is a good one.
But beyond this: The government has
rightly undertaken to carry the mails to
the homes of the people in the rural sec
tons as we'll as to the homes of those
living in cities and towns. Now the gov
eminent announces thar ii viii not estab-
lsh rural routes except where the roads
are good The government is directly
Interested, therefore, in having a proper
and adequate system Of well-constructed
roads in all parts of the country. 1t is
the goverr0. ents duty to further this
Wofh IN every way possible.
when Governor Cummins argued that
this plan is paternalistic. ] cOntended 1t
was certainly no more paternalistic than
and Improvement Of the water high
ways of commerce. and certainly not
nearly so paternalistic as outright appro-
priations for road building in the Philip
pines solely for the purpose Of giving the
Filpinos work. And when he spoke of
the possibilities Of friction between the
federal and state governments l asked
10 be cited TO a single instance OF clash
between the federal and state govern
ments, or officials, over the control Of the
rivers of the country.
These objections are not. In my opin-
ion worthy Of serious consideration. The
argument is all on the side OF federal and
state cooperation 1t may require some
time to bring the people around TO the
support Of this plan, but ! believe they
will come to it. There is no other way
IN which The whole people-and the coun-
try-would he as greatly benefited as by
a system of good roads. and ! believe
the plan I advocate is the most practical
way to secure that desired end