The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1906-01-25
Judge Burkhead on Good Roads.

Since the formation OF this govern
ment you have listened to the siren song
about internal and external improve.
meDts. You have read Of both; you
have Joined your party leaders in chew
ing the old tariff rag. the old state S
rights rag, and other issues handed
down to you. You haye allowed public
sentiment to have full sway, while you
toiled on your farms TO make a living for
your family, to better your conditions
and leave something for those of your
family who might survive you, and you
are still doing so, and you do so at great
odds. You have, in reality, improved
your morals while doing so, but how you
did 50 with the roads in their present
and past condition is more than the or
dinary human being made of flesh and
blood can tell. You have actually trav-
eled over these roads on foot, on horse.
back, in wagons and buggies, for miles,
to hear and help some party lea ier
chew the old tariff rag, without com
plant. You have passed over these
roads to listen to some fellow tell how
much the government has spent for the
Improvement of our great watercourses,
and still you said nothing about the
roads you had passed over to get to him.
Doubtless he told you of the billions
which had been spent in cleaning out
the rivers of the United States, which
was, greatly to the interest Of some
wealthy company or corporation able to
build and fit up steamboats, to float over
these great highways and buildup their
fortunes; but you never asked what
good you had or would derive from
these great expenditures. You read in
the papers now about the hoped for
appropriation to clean the mud out of
our Missouri river, giving the next Use
in the river chance to ill it up again.
And still you seem to be satisfied with
your dir. roads, which are also public
highways. Why not stop helping your
son who is OF age, and better able to
take care of himself than you are, and
use the money and means at your com.
mand to rear and educate and help your
minor and helpless children? You are
part of the government-th very COR
ner stone OF the government; you can
dictate and have II right, and it is your
prerogative, your duty too, to see after
the little ones. You are the men upon
whom the world OF mankind depends
for all that sustains life. Creators of
the great storehouses of provisions from
which all feed. The originators of all
wealth. Your crops must reach the
market, and practically no effort has
been made by the government in getting
these crops over the first few miles.
But vast amounts have been expended
by it in levelling up the other end. The
The first few miles must be covered over
rocks and in mud by the man who makes
the supplies, and this has always and is
now being done over highwaysof of which
the government takes no notice. Idoubt
whether you have ever stopped to think
of the unlimited benefits that would ac-
crue to the nation, to the state, to your
county and to your township by the
building OF permanent public roads
throughout each county. There is no
way by which the government can do so
much lasting good for its people, for the
udbuilding Of values of property, for the
stability and purity OF the homes of the
individuals, and thereby strengthening
the general government, than by build
ing permanent public roads. There
should be Legislation along these lines.
The money that has been heretofore
thrown into rivers should by legislation
be driven from that channel and appro-
priated for the building of public roads.
The time is ripe for such legisiat on.
The possibilities for good to the people
are greater than has been imagined. So
much depends upon the facilities OF in.
tercourse between the people OF the
rural districts-the progress OF mankind
by means of the press, public schools,
the pulpit. Labor means civilization
aud labor consists largely in moving
products from place TO place and its
efficiency calls for easy movement. The
building OF good roads has never been
regretted. After we once get them we
would never surrender them at any
price. The government cannot appro.
pirate money for any other purpose
where it will produce so much good for
so many people. The public roads are
used by everybody. They benefit every
body. They are blessing to every
body. They are the fountain-head Of
all trade and commerce, the increase OF
knowledge and intelligence is exhiler-
ated by their agency, they are the
the means for the performance of private
and public duties. Why should the
government spend so much money TO
make IL possible and profitable for the
rich TO transport the products Of the
country from one place To another and
have the man who produces these prod.