The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-07-21

would construct $4,000 miles of mac
adam roads or 100000 miles of earth
roads at $500 per mile. If New York
can undertake such a mammoth prop
osition, besides spending millions on
roads and other improvements. why
should not the state of Kansas adopt
some plan to give the people good
roads?
A Serious Problem.
The subject of feeding and housing
a vast army during times of depres-
sion is one of serious consideration.
Each year of the nations life the in
dividual will contemplate more earn
estly the problem of existence and the
burden of the worlds life. Each state
that prepares in advance and in
augurates a broad, comprehensive
system for public roads will be the
ADLER to stand a siege of hard times
est criminal arrests, because it will
be in position to furnish abundance
of labor to the unemployed. Work
ing men are the best citizens. Honest
state at the same time don't har-
monte.
Country Roads.
First-Should be earth, which is
the foundation for all improvement.
Second-GraveI, which is composed
intermixed with particles of sand.
Third-Macadam, composed of
three layers of crushed stone. The
first layer u inches in size, the Sec
top dressing should be screenings
thoroughly raked in, rolled, and
sprinkled.
In the Mississippi valley states
gumbo or the black earth, can be
burned into a hard red substance at
80 cents a cubic yard; this sprinkled
with oil will make one of the cheap
est, most durable and dustless roads.
road of this substance and not exceed
the cost of $1,000 to $4,000 per mile.
Moral and Religious Phase.
Bad roads have a moral and re-
ligiouS, or rather an immoral and ire
ligious, aspect. They destroy prop
erty and moral courage. They are
productive of profanity and i'll tenn
per. They separate or make distinc-
ton between the people of cities and
the farm. They keep farmers and
their families from going to church.
1t is said that a bad road, if extended
far enough, will lead to the Internal
regions. Many man could do a re-
ligfous act by filling the ruts and
holes in front of his farm. One bad
patch hole will cause the destruction
of many a good intention. II is said
that the life of the average citizen is
becoming too complex-that we are
travelling at too great a speed. Let us
lessen the discomforts of Iifes rough
and rapid journey by making good
roads.
Tramp, Vagrant and Convict Labor.
Since the civil war a large army
known as tramps and Migrants have
gradually increased until sometimes
they are numbered by the hundreds
of thousands. The government. state
and municipality have taken no steps,
excepting in a few cases, to legiSlate
against this class who drift from
state and from county to county, fire.
6aCfrnXTil1c nd 1nv-fxy
and often committing other crimes
This itinerant class are generally able
bodied and should be arrested in the
locality where found, given a speedy
trial and placed in stone quarries and
gravel pits to prepare material for
roads, and also their labor should be
utilized in the construction of roads.
The existing false theory is to invite
where they are fed in soup kitchens
and at other charitable cribs. They
are largely the recruits who fill our
jails and penitentiaries. When they
are sent to the penitentiary they are
usually employed by contractors at SO
or less cents per day in the manufac-
ture of boots and shoes, saddles, har-
ness, wagons, buggfes, chairs, furni-
ture and other wares, and thus their
labor is brought in ruinous competi-
ton with free labor. There. never has
been a greater evil or fallacy perpe-
trated against the honest toilers than
IIlS n0IdrlOuS system. Inc state of
Kansas and all other states should
Immediately place upon it's statutes
laws prohibiting existing con-
ditions.
Preachers and Women's Clubs.
Preachers and women's clubs
should advocate the Improvement of
public high ways. Seven hundred and
fifty million dollars are invested in
church property in the nited States |
There are $4,000 churches and 210,-
900 preachers. This great religious
body have a tremendous moral force
and should more frequently influence
the election of representative men to |
office. The pulpit and womens clubs |
would have a powerful effect in in |
huencing all state legislative bodies |
and the national congress to favor |
good roads legislation. All denomina-
tons should lend their support in IA
vor of this national crusade