The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1904-05-20
SENATOR LATlMER SPEAKS.
Tho 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 to 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 1882, and during that period about
100000 was appropriated by congress
for road purposes. All the great minds
OF that period were one in conceding this
question to be of the highest Importance
in determining the happiness and pros
perity of the American people. It is to-
day, as it was then, a question which
demands the earnest consideration of
every American citizen. The mud tax,
levied or our people by the miserable
condition of the common roads, Is the
most onerous that 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 nvnrncC Nvnr II tho &c i1rNodc xf thu
United States. In 1896 the railroads re-
ceived from all sources a little over
$500, 900 900. Every dollar of this was
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 81, 000, 900, 900 or
more spent in cost of transportation
over the dirt roads was a total loss, not
n 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.
I'm this enlightened age no one ques-
tions the ~stupendous advantages which
would follow a complete system Of i'm
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
is from s to IL cents, while in the
United States the cost averages Is
cents. A reduction of this cost by one
$500, 600 900 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?
ut is evident that some change in Jul
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 do 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
of raw material and food prod
ucts throughout the United States are
equally interested with the producer in
lowering the cost of transportation, az
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 byap-
preparation out of the federal treasury
that the Improvement of ous. roads can
be accomplished with justic to all the
people.
THE next question which presents it.
self is as to the power of congress to
make such an appropriation. / think
that the power exists by 4 spress grant
in the constitution. Basin my opinion
on the views of such eminent men as
Madison, Monroe, GallaGn, Webster,
Calhoun, Clay and Adama and, taking
into consideration the legislative his
tory of the country, / hole, that the pow
er is clearly established. The power
has been exercised whef ever congress
thought it wise to do Sd, and the only
question which is really important is
whether or not this is 3 proper subject
for federal aid. All that is asked by
the bill introduced by ne is the appro-
priation of a fund for re ID purposes. The
states are to be furnished the right CT
way, maintain the rofds after they are
built, and pay one-ha4f the cost. Con-
gress is not asked tosinvade the states,
but simply to appropriate money as an
aid to an object for the general welfare
and happiness Of all he people. There
could be no better Investment of the
public funds than in oad Improvement.
It would enhance The value of farm
lands from 10 to SO plr cent. Anincrease
in value of five dollars per acre would
add So, 600, 000,0 Q to the wealth Of the
country inythis tier alone. The conges-
ton Of business during the winter
months would die appear, and u peo-
pie could go to thu markets at all times.
In fact, the mater al advantages which
would follow are TOO numerous to men
ton, and too great to estimate.
what will wed.o with the propositior?
Will we go on for the next 100 years Is
we have Daring the past, or will we
arouse ourselves and make this question
a burningissue before the peopleuntilthe