The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1904-05-27
SENATOR LATIMER SPEAKS.
The Eloquent Southerner Pleads the
Cause Of Good Roads Before
a Boston Audience.

Senator Latimer, of South Carolina,
has come to the front as one of the lead
ing champions of road Improvement. In
fact, he was elected to the senate main
ly on that ISSUE. Last fall he intro
duced into the senate a bill for national
aid similar t that which Congressman
Brownlow introduced into the house,
and he has defended it ably and eloquent
ly. In an address recently delivered at
the Beacon society dinner, at Boston,
he said:
The improvement Of the common
roads of the country engaged the atten-
ton of our ablest statesmen from 1902
to 1892, and during that period about
$4,000 900 was appropriated by congress
for road purposes. All the great minds
of that period were one in c~onceding this
question to be of the highest Importance
in determining the happiness and pros
perity of the American people. 1t is to-
day, as it was then, a question which
demands the earnest consideration of
every American citizen. The mud tax,
levied on our people by the miserable
condition of the common roads, is the
most onerous hat we have to pay. 1t
will astonish you to know that it costs
the people of the United States every
year more to transport the surplus prod
ucts of the farm and forest to the ship
ping point, than the total cost of trans
porting all the freight, passenger, mail
and express over all the railroads of the
United States. In 1896 the railroads re-
ceived from all sources a little over
cGnn nnn n00 Er-a-xy I011or Of fhiG xr-1d
returned to the people in the employ
ment of labor, payment for material, In
taxes to the states, and in interest on
invested capital. The $1,000, 100000 or
more spent in cost of transportation
over the dirt roads was a total loss, not
one cent being returned to the people IN
taxes or as interest on invested capital.
And yet this is only a portion of the loss
caused by the poor condition Of our
roads.
In his enlightened age no one ques-
tions the ~stupendous advantages which
would follow a complete system Of inn
proved roads. The cost of the work
would be paid by the savings OF
one year. On the improved roads of Eu-
rope the cost of transporting a ton a mile
ID llODl o " IL III "AAC
United States the cost averages q
cents. A reduction of this cost by one
half would save to the American people
$500 900 900 per annum.
The practical question which con-
fronts US to-day is how is this condition
to be met and overcome? Upon whom
must the burden of this great undertake
ing fall? We have tried the present
system which was inherited IRON Eng
land. which has not resulted in much i'm
provemelt in the past 100 years, and
in my judgment, will never prove a sue
cess.
1T is evident that some change in our
method of road improvement must be
adopted. The local community is not
able to construct roads unaided. Many
Of the states are not able to 90 so, and
even if they were, there is a feeling
which, in my opinion, is justly founded,
that it would be unjust to require them
to bear the whole burden. The con.
sumers of raw material and food prod
ucts throughout the United States are
equally interested with the producer IN
lowering the cost of transportation, as
they, in the end, have to pay this heavy
tax. AS this burden cannot be equitably
distributed except by placing it on all
the people, and as the most remunera-
tive powers of raising revenue orig
inally held by the states, are now in
the federal government, it is only by ap-
propriation out of the federal treasury
that the improvement of our roads car
be accomplished with justice to all the
people.
The next question which presents it.
self is as to the power of congress tc
make such an appropriation. l think
that the power exists by express grant
in the constitution. Basing my opinion
on the views of such eminent men az
Madison. Monroe, Gallatin, Webster,
Calhoun, Clay and Adams, and, taking
into consideration the legislative his
tory of the country. l hold that the pow
err is clearly established. The power
has been exercised whenever congress
thought it wise to do so, and the only
question which IS really important is
whether or not this is a proper subject
for federal aid. All that is asked by
the bill introduced by me is the appro-
priation of a fund for road purposes. The
states are to be furnished the rlgnL OIL
way. maintain the ROADS after they are
built, and pay one-half the cost. CON-
gress is not asked to invade the states,
but simply to appropriate money as an
aid to an object for the general welfare
and happiness of all the people. There
could be no better investment of the
public funds than in roa improvement
1t would enhance the value of farm
lands from 10 to 90 per cent. An increase
in value of five dollars per acre would
add 5000, OG0. 600 to the wealth of the
country in this item alone. The conges-
ton of business during the winter
months would disappear, and our peo-
pie could go to the markets at all times.
In fact, the material advantages which
would follow are too numerous to men
ton. and too great to estimate.
What will e do with the proposition:
Will we go on for the next 100 years az
we have during the past, or will we
arouse ourselves and make this question
q burning issue before the people until the
result is Accomplished"