The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1905-03-09

4 Il i fostered in every possible
II any tax upon this important in
! duStry can be lifted without IN impair
ment of governmental revenues it GER
| tainly should be done, and if contin-
nous lines Of improved interstate high
ways, as alleged. will reduce the mud
tax" and the cost of transportation OF
farm products from the farm. to the
market one-half or One-third. then
surely such improved roads ought to
! be given the agricultural interest with
| out argument or delay.
/ We have no fault to find with vast
appropriations for pensions. irrigation
, schemes. waterways and railroads, but
! it is 4 crying shame that agriculture.
the monarch industry. has scarcely
| been noticed, and when it demands Of
! the National Government what the in
dividual communities are not able to
give-continuous lines Of improved
highways-its request should be an
| swered by large appropriations for
such continuous lines of improved in
terstate roads.
This Nation claims to lead in every
thing. and I think it does. for we have
the biggest rivers. the biggest trusts
and the poorest roads or earth.
Surely the National Government
should always do those things that
make for the National welfare, and
how could the National welfare be bet
ter promoted than by the National aid
for continuous lines of improved intet-
state highways:
BY such highways not only will trans
portation of farm products be greatly
facilitated, but such roads will make
for better educa ton, more social and
religious privileges, and in every way
tend to- elevate the character of our
rural population, on whom we, as
Nation, so largely depend.
How absurd it seems when we are
told that the National Government can
spend s2IO.O00,OO0 to build one canal
in Panama. and New York State an
other S1OO,OOO.0O0 for canal purposes,
but that no money can be appropriated
to aid the great indus.ry-agriculture-
upon which the prosperity of the en-
tire country and these special interests
rests!
Were it not for" the agricultural in
terests, canals. rivers. harbors and rail-
roads would be practically useless, for
without the products of agriculture
there would be little or nothing Tor
them to transport.
The National Government has eS-
pended $4OO,OO0,OO0 in improving
waterways. while in capital and inter-
est it has aided railways to the extent
of S13S. 100000. and in addition to en-
courage railroad building, has given
196,OOOO.OOO acres of the public land
making a grand total value given Tor
these objects of not less than $780,
100000, besides appropriating for 1rrl-
cation schemes that the des9ft may
blossom as the rose.
All these appropriations were made
from the peoples money. We ind no
fault because such appropriations have
been made, for we approve ct them
all, but we do find fault because the
common road. the most important 1ac-
TOR among them all, which makes Tor
National prosperity. has been utterly
neglected.
Now abideth waterways, railways
and highways. but the greatest OF
these is highways.
Some vould-be bright minds assume
to say that Congress has not the power
to authorize outlays for road improve"
ment. because the Constitution does
not allow such appropriations
In answer to that statement all we
have to say is that Congress and the
Constitution were created by the people
and for the people. and that both Con-
rress and the Constitution are simply
instruments to do the werk and bidding
of the people.
All the money held or received by
the National Government is the peo-
ple's money, and do VIC not insist that
q man shall do what lie wills with his
own when free from membranes:
Has the great sovereign people less
rights than the individuate
History tells us that Moses seht spies
TO SOY out the promised land, and Pc
cause the people listened to the advice
Of timid and heartless leaders, they
were doomed to suffer the privatlons,
hardships and wanderings of the desert
for forty long years:
But as the brave. farSeelng Joshua
and Caleb affirmed that they were then
able to go forward and possess the
land promised to them and their
fathers, a land flowing with milk anu
honey. so we, affirm that our great
Government, with the granary OF the
world in it's possession, and Win
wealth of the ages in It's grasp, IS no"
fully capable Of inaugurat!ng meas
ures and providing the necessary money
to aid the different communities IN
such a manner that continuous lines
of improved interstate highways may
be constructed and that it should be
done at once, thereby saving the peo-
;y;, ir, This vii.