The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1905-08-03


enterprise. II the common roads or
the country were brought 10 Il condition
that would enable farmers 20 market
their products at all sea -onS Of the
year. the cost Of living In town ana
city would be greatly lessenci. ana
discomfort among labor.nG people ana
operatives in industrial concerns would
largely decrease If Ii did not entirely
disappear. Why and how: Present
road conditions compel farmers 10 rush
their products to market as soon as
! harvested. when the roads are IT their
best rs by waiting a convenient time
they may not get there al all. II one
farmer must do this. his nFi@hbors
must do likewise. This naturally con
cests The market. forcing low prices 10
the great detriment of the producer and
without benefit to the consumer, be-
cause the average family in town or
city buys only in small quantity NJ
one time. say II days or weeks sup
ply What is the result: The specu-
lator, finding prices low and knowing
that in little while the bad roads sea-
son will be or when competing prod
ucts will be kept away from trade
centres, buys up the surplus and stores
it away for the day which he knows
is surely coming when he can demand
and receive his own price Tor his hold
ings-the stuff for which men toll:
which they are compelled TO have. And
when the citizen in town. the mechanic
| and operative OF tie shops and factor
les. is forced in winter and spring to
pay eXOrbitant prices for those articles
of household necessity which went
begging for buyers at low prices the
| preceding fall. he figures the increased
| cost of living in comparison and grows
restless and disconnected and is easily
led into strikes and other labor disturb
ances. We all know what usually
follows. This, of course is not all that
enters into strike causes. but it con-
tributes full share. 1t ought to be
perfectly plain to American manufac-
turers that the continuous. orderly OPP
Grafton of industrial business depends
on meaSurably cOntented operatives:
that men are never cOntented when the
cost of living is above their earning
capa city: and that prices of food stuffs
from the farm would be always ut a
decent living level to all concerned if
we had Systematically improved high
ways over which farmers could travel
to market any day in the year. These
farmers would realize better prices for
their products than they do and still
be able to sell to all classes OF cOnSum-
ers at lower prices than is forced by
spectators i'll the bad-rOads season.
III this position is sound. then the duty
~ Sufa nufucturc<sk seems to be to lend
their every influence - IN, support of
the BrOWnlOwL atimer bills which seek
to bring about systematic and scientific
highway construction and Improvement
in cooperation with the States. 1t is
10 less in their own interest than that
Of the farmers. who are their best
patrons after all. And it is 10 less the
interest OF all consumers OF farm prod
ucts in every town and city in the
United States. and of every railroad
and other corporation employing labor
of any kind. and of every railroad and
building contractor and others having
men i'll their employ.
We are advised that Hon ". ?.
BrOwnlOw, member of Congress from
Tennessee. is DESTROYS of hearing from
manufacturers on this question. and
Will appreciate any expression of views
thereon that may be sent to him at
Washington.