The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1903-05-26

| tney were oppnaeu 10 lue system by
which the revenues of the Govern
ment were raised, but Lat,mer is not
one Of that sort. do not ask that
my State be given it's share. | dc
mand it; and 50 long fss 1 am in
public life shall continue to dc
mand it.
"That, however, is not what I
started to say. Tho good roads move !
ment is neither matter Of single
Stat nor is it sectional, except in SO
far that the greater need for road
Improvement is in the agricultural
States Of tho South and West. T
favor the setting apsrt in tho nation
al treasury of q good roads fund, not
10 be used in indiscriminate road
building, but to be used in co opera
tion with the State and local govern
ment on the principle of helping
those who help themselves.
"Tbe roads of the conutry are the
great highways Of internal COM
merce. The Federal Government
has undertaken the care of the har
bors and the navigable rivers, because
these are highways of commerce, and
has in the past given most liberal aid
to the construction of transcontinen-
tai railroads. In the same way it can
contribute to the perfection of the
country roads upon which u very
large per cent of the products Of the
country have in the first instance to
be hauled, and there is every reason
why this aid should, in my Judgment,
be extended
ave have appropriated 100000
in lump sum for road bnilding in
the Philippine Islands, principally,
we are told, in order to give work to
the people. If this is done for the
Filipinos why should it 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 contend that it would be not only
wise policy Oh the part of the govern
ment, which is the representative of
all the people, to spend portion of
the Government funds to which all
the people contribute in aiding the
development of the highways upon
which is transported such great per
cent of the products of the country,
bnt that this would be good business
''Statistics show that it costs three
hundred millions Of dollars more to
transport the farm products Of tho
country over the dirt roads than it
does over the railroads. The average
cost par ton for the transportation of
products over dirt roads is 25 cents
per mile, while the cost over proper
ly macadamized roads is from 3 to 3
cents per mile. An adequate system
Of good roads would save large sums
to the producers, would mean greater
productions and greater profits,
greatly increase the value of farm
lands and in consequence would,
through this increase in tax valua
tions. soon reimburse the States and
couutles for their outlay, and ut the
same time by increasing the earning
capacity OF the agricultural produc-
ing classes would greatly increase
their power of consumption and in
this way would increase I'll" lmportn-
tions so that the Federal Govern
men, would, in turn, be repnid for
it's outlay. AS Il simple business
proposition it is good ore.
| "But beyond this; The Govern
ment has rightly undertaken to carry
, the mails to the homes of the people
I in the rural sections as we'll us to tn,
q homes Of those living in cities anc