Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-12-22

futrre welfare Of the State that we
should foster and protect WHO anlnais
in our cities and towns, nor "ouio l
favor the complete destruction OF the
wild game of our state
Pint inasmuch as we nave suDstah-
tia,ly e.oOO. 600 acres OF wild lano'
would amend the present game laws SO
that they would not apply to moor
,ora+ed towns and cities" This would
iaaye IN the wild animals practically
.,,.o.efrhs of the territory of the State,
,,.t,;cb would seem to be a liberal pro-
r,ortion and would in all probability
cove MANY lives every year. l pay
taxes in this State; am interested LOT
and believe in the future OF the state
Of Maine, and do not intend to 90
ANYTHING or say anything to retard the
proeress of what believe to be one OF
the best Of all the states.
THE GRANGE.
The grange has become so strong
and is such a tremendous force IN max
ing and moulding public OPINION we
should exercise extreme caution III all
mail session. Whatever we pass upon
should be thoroughly digested ana I'M
derstood before we act. The grange
has neculiar field Of work Of its own
and to preserve its integrity and main
tain its dignity, we should De wary oi
endorsing the schemes Of individuals
mr. organizations and thus be relieved
NJ embarrassments in the future. 1
+rust every one of the committees Will
anrreciate this fact and recognize the
fact that they are the spokesman OF the
order in Maine for the present year.
Rural delivery of mail has passed be-
vond the doubtful stage and does not
REQUIRE the argument for its extension
that was necessary to establish 1t IN
the first instance. 1t has now become
one of the fixed departments OF govern
ment.
ROADS.
But Of as great moment to the fu-
ture prospects of the farmers of the
limited States, is the economic and
proper construction of roads. IN
doubtedly there is no one source Whlch
has furnished the avenue for wasting
money in large volume as has our sys-
TEN of road making. The time is at
hand when the farmers OF TINS country
should receive benefit in this important
work commensurate with the industry
they represent.
The mud tax levied on our people by
the miserable condition of the COM
mon road is the highest we nave 10
pay. According to the best authorities
Obtainable, it costs the people OF the
United States every year $500, OOO,OOO
| more to transport the surplus produce
| of the farm and forest to the shipping
point than the total cost of transport
| ing all the freight, passengers. mail
and express over all the railroads of
| the United States.
| While the S7OO,O0O,OO0 received by
the railroads annually is every dollar
returned to the people in the employ
ment of labor use of materials, in
taxes to the State, and in interest on
| invested capital, the s1,000,000,OO0 or
more spent in cost of transportation
over the dirt roads is a total loss, not
ore cent being returned to the people
| in taxes or as interest on invested cap
ital.
Add the surplus produce which cam
not be put upon the market at the
proper time. the extra cost of teams,
loss of capital in vehicles, the de-
pressed and dissatisfied condition of
agriculture in consequence of the hard
ships and isolation of their lives, the
falling off of production, decrease of
values. and they are all sources of the
loss of millions to the people. In this
| enlightened age no one questions the
value, the stupendous advantages
which would follow a complete system
OF good roads.
Those who have investigated this
problem most carefully do not hesitate
to say that the savings each year
would be sufficient to macadamize
every rod of road in the United States.
Authorities state the average cost of
transporting a ton of freight over a
mile OF road in the United States to be
25 cents. in Europe from TO II cents
which would mean a saving to the peo-
pie of this country of $500, 900. 900 per
year in transportation. The practical
question which confronts us today is
how Is this condition TO be met and
overcome? Upon whom must the bur-
den of this great undertaking fall? Our
present system which we inherited
from England has not resulted in much
Improvement for the past 100 years .
In every other respect we have cast
off ancient methods. introduced new
ideas, machinery and skill and by a
combination of these with American
| brain and industry, We have eclipsed
AL other nations. But in this single
respect of road Improvement we are
still warning out the people to work
from three to ten days a year on the
roads under the direction Of men who
have no qualification for the work ex.
cept that they have "a pull with the
powers that be, but no knowledge of
modern road construction.
The result Is that a few shovels of
dirt are thrown upon the road to
come mud or washed away by the next
rain. 1 am convinced that in a Sparse
ly settled state like Maine with its
large area, the people of the State are
not in position to enter largely into
the construction of good roads and why
should not the federal government aid
in doing this work? A government of
the people, by the people and for the
people surely can as consistently and
properly use money in constructing
good roads to travel over, as to expend
as has been done by Congress the pas,
five years, sl6S,O0O,OOO improving riv-
hnr1