The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1905-07-06
THE BROWNLOW
LAW WOULD
BE A GREAT HELP
TO THE FARMER.

If there was ever time when
human intelligence should be en-
ergetically exercised in solving an
economic problem it is now, and
the question that of improved
highways, and how best to quick
ly procure them. This question is
is universal in it's application.
That policy which will distribute
fairly the cost of construction is
the one to be considered; all 9th
ers are Impractical as well an un-
Just. 1t needs no arguments to
persuade the average American
citizen that better country roads
are a national necessity, therefore
a national obligation, to delay the
discharge of which is n national
shame. The farmer needs better
roads to enale him to- market his
products at all seasons or any
season.
With the wagons roads in pres
ent condition the farmer must
rush his products to market in the
late summer and early fall, con-
gestlng the supply in sight, thus
forcing low prices. At this june
ture in steps the speculator who
buys and stores for the assured
season when bad roads prevent ad-
ded receipts of products from the
farm, and when he forces exorbit-
ant prices on all he holds, to be
paid by the consumer in town and
city. Here we have reciprocal in
terest of the agricultural classes
and the manufacturer, the mer-
chant, the mechanic and all other
consumers of farm products. 1t
is strange thing that town and
city people cannot see their own
immediate interest in national aid
to good roads. We all must live
on that which comes from the
farm. The rivers and harbors
that have been so literally ft ster-
ed by the government do not pro-
duce a mouthful of food, except
fish. 1t must all come from the
farm. The railroads cannot pro-
duce a mouthful of food. The
farmer must supply it all. The
price of farm products is control
led by middlemen, because the
primary man-the farmer is not
permitted to hold his products
until a convenient season, but is
forced to sell when road conditions
will allow him to deliver. If the
roads were good at all seasons the
cost of the necessary food products
would be materially lessened TO
the consumer in town and city.
Not only is this fact, but with
improved highways and naturally
leassened cost of living, there
would be fewer disturbances
among the laboring classes; fewer
demands for higher wages forced
by the increased cost of living
socialism would not progressing,
and agitators wonld find it impos-
sible to make the social fabric
tremble with discomfort in labt r
centers, as they now are able to
do. You must make the people
comfortable if you would have
! them contented, and you make
them measurably contented if you
would have stability in business
affairs. The late Senator Hanna
spoke with almost the spirit of
prophecy when lie declared not
long before his death that danger
was standing not far away from
those who were Indifferent ] am
not afraid to say, he would be
ready to tell the American manu-.
facturer and all labor employed in
industrial enterprise that the
greatest of all economic PROPOSE
tions was that embodied in the
Brownlow Latimer bi Is (practi-
cally the same) providing Tor ma
tional aid to good roads.
The proposition is absolutely
sound that the consumer in town
and city is as deeply involved in
tho question of improved highways
as is The farmer himself, because
CT the fact that he must pay to
spectators high prices for food
products when bad roads prevent
he farmer from reaching the mar