The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1906-12-14

~~N~0~N~0~N~~~~
| Good Roads in the south.
| In an address by John Craft Of Mo-
! bile 1t was stated that the cost to the
| farmers of the South is 80 cents per
| bale Of cotton for an average haul of
eight miles.
If there were good roads the cost
| would be reduced to 16 cents bale. Es-
| timating a crop at a million bales this
! would mean saving Of $4,000 an
nually.
1t costs under present road conditions
% cents to haul ton Of fertilizer a
mile. With good roads the cost would
be 8 cents ton.
II have studied for some years tho
problem Of working convicts on our
public roads," said Mr.. Craft, land they
have proved to be the most economical
| road builders to be had. The convict
| has long passed the experimental stage
for road-making.
Judge Fave Of Georgia, who has had
twenty years experience in working
convicts as road builders, says: They
are the best and cheapest road builders.
While working convicts, not q single
overt act was committed, or q single
| child. woman or man molested, or ono
! dollars worth of property deprecated
on
'Mecklenburg county, North Carolina,
has the finest macadamized roads, and
1t Is being done with convict labor. It
| costs an average of % cents a day to
guard, feed and care for convict labor
ciples.
''As for the convict himself, statistics
show that 80 per cent Of those who are
worked in the open air, properly fed
and guarded, return to their families
and cease to be charge or a menace to
the State, while Of those who are kept
In prison or are worked in mines, saw
mills or similar places, SIS per cent be-
| come hardened criminals.
Nor do l think it right to put the
honest wage earners in competition
| with convict labor, or the manufacture
Ing industry in competition with the
| one that hires cheap convict labor
Indiana has more than 1900 miles
| of good gravel roads. l remember when
| Indiana was considered one Of the illit-
| crate States in the Union. To-day she
| Is prosperous. and her people are no
I longer ignorant, but the State is dotted
| with the finest schools and colleges.
Massachusetts spends more money
than any other State on. her public
| roads. New York has just voted to IS
sue $5O,0OO,OOO for her roads to be spent
In the next ten years. New Jersey has
| fine roads. which have been of great
benefit, and are the best investment the
State has. Missouri is agitating bond
issue Of $25,O0OOOO for her public
roads. The Province Of Ontario, Can
ada, has $4,000 miles of good roads.
| and from that phenomenal Improvement
have been the results Of prosperity to
Its farmers. York Sun.
Everybody Drag!
Fhen the smiles of spring appear,
Drag the roads;
When the summer time is here,
Drag the roads;
When the corn is in the ear;
In the winter cold and drear;
Every season in the year;
Drag the roads!
When you've nothing else to do,
Drag the roads;
If but for an hour or two,
Drag the roads.
1t will keep them good as new.
With purpose firm and true,
Fall in line! It's up to you;
Drag the roads!
Would you do the proper thing?
Drag the roads.
Set the system on the wing:
Drag the roads,
Give the drag a lively swing:
Toss the laurel wreath to King.
Hats off! Everybody sing:
Drag the roads!
M. Albertus Coverdell.
The Road Problem.
Good roads economic time and force
| In fravol and