River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1903-07-02
SPEAKS FOR GOOD ROADS.
Col. William Jennings Bryan De-
mands Just Treatment for the
Country's Farmers.


Country's Farmers.
One after another the prominent
men of the nation fall into line with the
good roads movement. One of the
notable features of the recent conven-
ton at ST. Louis was the bringing to-
gether of President Roosevelt and Col.
Bryan as speakers from the same plat
form. Widely as the two may differ on
other questions, both are enthusiastic
advocates of better highways. The
colonel has been studying the good
roads question recently and has taken
a favorable view of the national aid
plan. In recent speech reported in
the Commoner he gave utterance to
the following sentiments:
II have become exceedingly inter
ested in this subject, as l have studied
it. In fact, I have been thinking how
many questions there are that enlist
the thought and arouse the interest of
those who seek to do something for
their fellowmen. Nothing l have
turned my attention TO in the last few
years has seemed to me to come near
er to the people than this question of
good country roads. / find that there
is a new field there, and / have already
advanced so far that l have made up
my mind to build little road out near
my farm, but to d what | can to get my
county and my state to do something
in the matter of roads.
''The expenditure of money for the
permanent improvement of the com
mon roads can be defended, first, as
matter of justice to the people who
live in the country; second, as a mat
ter of advantage to the people who do
not live in the country, and, third. on
the ground that the welfare of the ma
ton demands that the comforts of
country life shall, as far as possible,
keep pace with the comforts of CITY
life.
ut is a well-known fact, or fact
easily ascertained, that the people in
the country, while paying their full
share of county, state and federal
taxes, receive as a rule only the general
benefits of government, while the peo-
pie in the cities have, in addition to the
protection afforded by the govern
ment, the advantages arising from the
expenditure of public moneys in their
midst. The farmer not only pays his
share of the taxes, but more than his
share, yet very little of what he paws
gets back to the farmer. People in
the CITY pay not only less than their
share, as rule, but get back practical
ly all of the benefits that come from
the expenditure of the peoples money.
Let me show you what mean when
say that the farmer pays more than
his share: The farmer has visible
property, and in every form of direct
taxation visible property pays more
than its share. Why? Because the
man with visible property always pays.
If he has an acre of land the assessor
can find it; if he has horses, they can
be counted; his cattle can be enumer-
ated. If he has pigs, they begin to
squeal when the assessor approaches;
he cannot hide them. The farmer has
nothing that escapes taxation.
''The Improvement of the country
roads can be justified also on the
ground that the farmer, the first and
most important of the producers of
wealth, ought to be in position to hold
his crop and market it at the most
favorable opportunity, whereas at
present he is virtually under compul-
sion to sell it as soon as it is matured,
4 he A.
able at any time during the fall, win
ter or spring.
'The farmer has a right to insist
upon roads that will enable him to go
to town, to church, to the school house,
and to the homes of his neighbors, as
occasion may require, and with the
extension of rural delivery he has an
additional need for good roads in order
that he may be kept in communication
with the outside world.
Gust to what extent action should
be taken by the federal government,
the state government, the county and
the precinct, or in what proportion the
burden should be borne is a question
for discussion, but that country roads
should be constructed with view to
permanent and continuous use is
scarcely open to debate.
"Ihave such confidence in the patriot
ism and intelligence of the American
people that I believe that in the clash
of ideas and conflict of views. the best
will always be triumphant, the peo-
pie having the benefit of the combined
wisdom of all the people"