The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-10-09
JUST so IN ALABAMA.

Commenting on the reported surplua in the Alabama State Treasury The Richmond News Leader argues thus: The truth is, however. that no South. ern State has right to a dollar of surplus "a and neither is there need oi a of taxation except in rare instances The whole South is suffering from the common disease of had, roads and in, sppropriations Sen00 to cure ' these eo are e the best investments that can be made A complete system of good. permanent roads and well provided and well taught school within the reach of every ever growth and prosperity of the South faster than all the factories we can build and banks wc can establish. tricts a share of the prosperity many of the cities now enjoy. This would re re act by vastly increasing the wealth and trade of the cities and in time nomna prns sure down Int the sous saf ras has @ lions of acres of idle land, paying tax es and producing nothing. All these would be occupied and cultivated IT bring in desirable classes of immigrants and keep the younger generations of our, own people at home. We are
 building a new empire, and 10 do II SUCCESSFULLY we fHu5t Spcuu hiohSs There Is no excuse for any surplus in this section.
 There Is much food for thought in the words of our contemporary about spending money for schools and roads, and it is being exemplified all over the South. Whenever the question is discussed Of inducing some of the in- dustrious population of some badly
 congested Northern communities to come South and obtain homes one of the main bars in the way of success is the insufficiency of school facili- ties in many of the rural sections of the country It is a vital objection, because. as a general proposition, more attention is paid to education in the North and East than in the South. They may not have better teachers than we have, but they have better buildings and fixtures and they are more accessible than ours.
 As our Richmond contemporary says. there are vacant lands all over the South that are producing nothing. They would make ideal homes for
 many thousands of industrious fami lies. who would be attracted by the climate. the fertility of the soil and the low prices at which the farms could be bought but when they inves- tigate and find no schools within reach they cannot be induced to come They have always lived where all the chill dren could attend school at some per iod of the year and will not settle where the children will be deprived of the privilege of getting an educa tion.
 And what The News Leader says about good roads is very much to the point. We are not arguing that any surplus which may exist should be devoted to road-building, but we do nities should build and keep up sys- tenn of good highways. The time has passed when an opening through the woods or between farms is sufficient for the needs of rural population Every man who has to walk or ride or drive through the country has vital interest in a road that will be safe and pleasant to travel over at all seasons of the year. Such system will not only be vastly beneficial to the present inhabitants but will at tract desirable Immigrants who now shun sections where travelling is so frequently almost or quite impossible
 Good schools, accessible to all, with good buildings and good roads to reach them, are among the vital necessities if we wish good settlers in the coun- try.