The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1904-04-20
nasterly Plea for GOOD Roads.

nasterly Plea for GOOD Roads.
The following mastery plea
for good roads delivered by Col.
J.. B. Killibrew, of Nashville,
before the Good Roads COnven-
ton, taken from the New Orleans
Picayune, deserves the closest
and most earnest attention:
Gentlemen of the Conventions: |
esteem it a high privilege to have the
opportunity of addressing this body,
composed of gentlemen representing
many States. come as a representa-
tive of no State and of no govern
mental agency. | am here As one of
the people, as one of the $4,000. 900
who are interested in the farmers work.
and who recognize good roads as the
greatest necessity of the age and
country. The concentration OF num-
bers, wealth and power in the great
cities is ~emasculating the virile
strength of the nation and destroying
patriotism. Good roads would difTuse
population. elevate the country people.
increase conservatism and give the
advantages and comforts of the cities
to those who live in the country.
Why is it that the people of the
United States. SO indefatigable in the
furtherance of all material ends and
SO progressive in all the appliances
that make life comfortable and happy.
have done comparatively nothing to
improve the country roads: Most of
the roads are in the same condition
in which they were a hundred years
ago. They involve an annual outlay
for the transporting of farm products
greater than is paid to the railroads
OF to the steamship lines. What else
in the long list of human concerns is
of more lasting Importance to the
great of people than good roads,:
Railroads make good roads a greater
necessity.
The chief reason why our country
roads have not felt the energizing
influences of the age and have been
neglected is the want of concert of
action among the people of the coun-
try districts. They cannot realize
their demands upon the State Treas
ury, and they have made none for
nearly two generations upon the
National Treasury for aid in this
work. They have received nothing,
because they have asked for nothing.
A great public want. a great public
necessity has gone on from year to
year, from generation to generation,
%tiilers of the soil have ot.moved with
all fhnip onoantr,ofo an iro1ona -. sn h1n
and irresistible power TO bring about
what they so much desire. Railroad
companies have iInportuned Congress
and received aid: steamship and
steamboat interests have used the
magic words, ''Open sesame" to
unlock, in their behalf. for the i'm
provement OF the rivers. the National
Treasury, and greas streams OF gold
have flowed ont for their benefit. as
we'll as for the benei. of the whole
country. Rivers have been made
navAgable, great lakes have been
joined by canals, harbors all along
u coast have been improved. but
the farmers have been taxed-almOst
beyond endurance-to haul through
mud and slime and slush and water
the materials for freight that make
the prosperity of the railroads. the
canals and the steamship lines.
RAILROADS HAVE RECEIVED
1y7. OOO, OGO acres of the rublic domain,
and have had the credit of the Gov
eminent for hundreds of millions OF
dollars in aid of their construction.
In twenty-five years the appropria-
tiOns to rivers and harbOrs have been
61S0 nm NM Eope Tho ~nnr 1nlC this
appropriation amounted to 49,. $40. 1919.
The farmers have helped every line OF
business. Let these now help the
farmers build good roads.
This movement in favor of good
roads is national in extent. 1t marks
the beginning of q and brighter
era. 1t is a movement to increase the
profits of the farmer, the railroads
and the tradesmen and to multiply
many fold the comforts and pleasures
of every citizen. There is no better
evidence of a high civilization than
good roads. They are the local
arteries of traffic reaching out to
fountain heads and gathering the
rivulets of trade which swell the great
streams and oceans of commerce that
give employment to millions of people,
with q reverting profit to the pro.
ducers. The heaviest burden the
farmers have to endure is that o.
transportation of their products over
bad roads. Prosperous communities
are often the result of good roads,
and in turn good roads are an index
to the prosperity and enlightenment
of the community. +.
It is estimated by competent pub
licists that $500, OOO, 600 are expended
annually by the farmers of the United
States in moving $500, 600, 600 worth
of produce over bad roads to railwa,
stations and to markets. This is !
tax OF "a cents on every dollars wortl
OF produce that goes to market, it i.
further estimated that ut least two
thirds of this may be saved by the use