Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1906-09-05
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Senator Latimer on Road Question.

prOVement. In TACT, ne was elected
to the Senate mainly on that issue.
He introduced into the Senate q bill
for national aid similar to that which
Congressman Brownlow introduced
1t ably and ~eloquently. In an address
delivered at the Beacon Society din
ner in Boston he said:
The improvement of the common
roads of the country engaged the at
tention of our ablest statesmen from
1902 to 1882, and during that period
about $14,000,000 was appropriated
by Congress for road purposes. All
the great minds of that period were
one in %conceding this question to be
of the highest Importance in deter
mining the happiness and prosperity
of the American people. It is to-day,
as it vas then, a question which de-
mands the earnest consideration of
every American citizen. The mud
tax, levied on our people by the mis-
cradle condition of the common
roads, is the most onerous that we
have to pay. 1t will astorish YOU to
know that it costs the people Of the
United States every year more to
transport the surplus products of the
farm and forest to the shipping point
than the total cost of transporting
all the freight, passengers, mail and
express, over all the railroads of the
United States. In 1896 the railroads
received from all sources a little over
$70O,000,0O Every dollar of this
was returned to the people in the en-
ployment Of labor, payment for ma
terial, in taxes to the States, and in
interest on invested capital. The one
billion dollars Or more spent in cost
of transportation over the dirt roads
was a total loss, not n cent being
returned to the people in taxes Or as
interest on invested capital. And yet
this is only a portion Of the loss.
In this enlightened age no one
questions the ~stupendous advantages
which would follow a complete sys-
tenn of improved roads. The cost
of the work would be paid by the saw
ings of r year. On the improved
roads of Europe the cost of trans
porting a ton a mile is from eight to
twelve cents, while in the United
States the cost averages twenty-five
cents. A reduction of this cost by
one-half would save to the American
people $500,0OO,0 900 per annum.
The practical question which con-
fronts us to-day is how is this con
dition to be met and overcome?
Upon whom must the burden of this
great undertaking fall? We have
tried the present system, which was
inherited from England, which hay
not resulted in much improvement i'll
the last one hundred years, and, in
my judgment, will prove a sue
cess.
1t is evident that some change in
our method of road improvement
munity is not able to construct roads
unaided. Many of the States are not
able to do So, and even if they were,
there is a feeling which, in my opin-
ion, is Justly founded, that it would
be unjust to require them to bear the
whole burden. The consumers Of
raw material and food products
throughout the United States are
equally interested with the producer
in lowering the cost Of transporta-
ton, as they, in the end, have to pay
this heavy tax. AS this burden can
not be equally distributed, except by
placing it on all the people, and as
the most remunerative powers of
raising revenue, originally held by
the States, are now il the Federal
Government, it is only by an apEro-
priation out of the Federal Treasury
that the Improvement of u roads
can be accomplished with justice to
all the people.
The next question which presents
itself is as to the power of Congress
to make such an appropriation. I
think that the power exists by ex-
press grant in the Constitution. Bas-
ing my opinion on the views Of such
eminent men as Madison, Monroe
Gallatin, Webster, Calhoun, Clay and
Adams, and taking into consideration
the legislative history of the coun-
try, l, hold that the power is clearly
The power has been ex-
eGcised whenever Congress thought it
wise to do SO, and the only question
which is really important is whether
or not this is a proper subject for /
Federal aid. All that is asked by the
bill introduced by me is the appro- 4
priation of a fund for road purposes.
The States are to furnish the right
Of way, maintain the roads after they A
are built, and pay one-half the cost, /
Congress is not asked to invade the |
but simply to appropriate
as an aid to an object for the /
general welfare and happiness Of all +
the people. There could be no bet I
ter investment of the public funds /
than in road improvement. 1t would /
enhance the value o. farm lands from 4
ten to fifty per cent. An increase in
value Of SIS an acre would add $3,-H
600, 100000 to the wealth of the
in this item alone. The con-
gestion of business during the winter
would disappear, and our
people could go to the markets at all
times. In fact, the material advan-M