The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1904-08-06
FREE DELIVERY OF MAILS.
Benefits of the System Could Be Elk.
tended More Generally If
Roads Were Better. Z

AL the recent nternatlona gOOq
roads convention at st. Louis, Hon
Frank E. Nevins, of the United States
post office department, delivered an adj
dress in which he said:
THE establishment of the rural free
delivery of mail throughout the u
try has produced a marked improves
ment in the condition of the highways.
When there is a prospect of rural free
delivery in a community, work imme-
diately begins on the roads. There are
now in operation $4,000 rural routes
over which carriers travel $50, 600
miles delivering mail to about 9,000,-
600 people. More than $4,000 bridges
have been constructed over streams
that would not have been built ii it had
not been for the establishment of the
free delivery system. Nearly every
portion OF the country, where road
conditions will warrant it. is now sup
piled with this service. But in many
sections the bad condition Of tho
roads or the lack of bridges prevents
the extension of tie service.
Under the road laws of most of the
western states at the present time
work is done upon the roads in the fall
by the various road districts, when
there is no work to be done on the
farms. In the spring this work dis
appears. Nothing permanent remains,
and the roads are in as bad condition,
worse. than they were before. The
cost of $1,000 to $4,000 a mile for the
construction of hard roads in this
western country is too great, in most
instances, for road districts, townships
and counties to bear; neither is it
right that they should bear the entire
cost. The public at large, which shares
directly or indirectly in the benefits,
should contribute to the expense.
There never will be good roads in this
country until the national government
takes the initiative in this movement.
and the respective states of the union
join in with liberal contributions, and
this again is supplemented by local en-
Continental Europe, Eng
land and Ireland are covered with hard
broad pixies built at the expense of
the government Of those countries. No
country in the world ever yet had or
will have permanent and passable
highways constructed and maintained
by local authority.
Sixty per cent. OF the population Of
country lives in the cities and viii
40 per cent. lives in the country
1t is not fair or just TO place the en-
burden of good roads upon the
shoulders Of the farmer. The gen.
eral public shares directly or indirect
" IN the benefits, and should bear
the expense Of an equitable tax for
his purpose IN all assessable values. |
The weight of it upon the individual
would then be as light as a summer
While this specter of taxa
ion may frighten some of our skit-
-ish country friends, and cause them
o rear and plunge a little. they will
ind on closer inspection that the
IS q harmless creation of the
Imagination. They will get back in
ten times more than they will
Jay out in taxes.
why some OF our friends spurn gov
.rnment aid when it IS offered them, I
annot understand. They claim to be
opposed to it on principle, and can
ee nc good in it. There are some peo-
lie SO constructed that when looking
nto a pool of water they can never see
he sky and the clouds above it reflect
d on its surface, but only the mud at
he bottom.
This government never fails to do
he right thing in the end. 1t will
.Ot fail TO do the right thing in this
Instance. The impetus given to this
Movement by a few progressive states
who introduced measures in con-
Tess last winter authorizing national
id in the construction of highways.
ill ultimately produce the results
lined at. 1t cannot fail to do so, be-
ause the public interest demands it;
progress Of the age demands it;
ne welfare and development of the
Ountry at large demand it, and il is
Ound TO come in spite Of those who
lise their voices in opposition to It,"