The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1906-03-14
ABOUT GOOD ROADS.
They Mskc Great The Nations
Who Maintain Them. So SAYS
Hon. w. p. BrownlOW of
Tennessee.
First District Congressman Tells
Why National Aid to Highway
Construction Is Needed
McraI Aspect OF Question.
Golfers Weekly.

Golfers Weekly.
Hon. w. f.. Brownlow, Congress
man from the First Tennessee district.
writes as fellows in the Kne xville
Journal and Tribune:
National cid to highway cmstruc-
ton as a Elain, practical business
proposition is. in my opinion, para
mount to any question that 10Y
presents .Gr that can possibly be
suggested, because good roads would
do more for, the country than any
other one thing that a be named, or
any dozen.or more things combined.
The question is outside of and above
party politics.. its entire Sonstitu-
tionality is now almost universally
admitted, land the necessity Cor it is
present in every household in the
land. 1t is important to every calling
and condition; to every tcade and
profession; to every toiler an what
ever field of human endeever: to
everv manufacturing interest and
industrial concern: to every church
and school, and to the stability of the
government itself.
i am .axare that many people in
cities and towns regard the road
question as one affecting the farming
interests alone. If this were true, it
would yet, be simple justice and only
a recognition of the existence OF
reciprocal obligation between the
government and the people for the.
general government to extend its aid,
for the reason that all wealth land ALL
prosperity depend upon agriculture.
The farmers ARE the only real pro-
.ducers: all Others r consumers.
The farmers preserve the balance of
trade in American favor year By year.
Strike down agriculture. and chaos
would quickly follow; cripple aEricul-
lture and every interest in the land
would suffer. But is it not true that
the farmers alone are interested in
this great question. it is pregnant
with interest to .the consuming p0pu-
latiOn of towns and cities, and to
railroads, manufacturers, and trades
men as well. Furthermore, chalrch
~.and-school interests must inevitably
be retarded while road condit60ns
remain as they areto-day.
The rural schools are the schools
of the masses, in which are laid the
deep and lasting foundations for
coming lives of usefulness and for
the .betterment of mankind. The
rural church house Ks the birthplace
Of Christian character of high Ideals
Cd life and of patriotic purpose
Neither mural church nor school can
flourish where impossible roads
abound, and if these not prosper
the American home can not long !
survive its present glory through the
uniuterrnpted progress of civilization
and the wholesome growth of
Christianity and the spread of
education in the land.
There is o feature of this question
which persons accustomed to thor
ougness in every other line OF thought
seem 70 entirely overlook, especially
dwellers iE towns and cities 1t is
the universal interest involved, and
upon this l desire to speak with
special emphasis. Aside from church,
school and social economy, there is
meat in the question for every man 10
If the common roads OF the
country were brought to q condition
that would enable farmers to market
their products at all seasons of the
year, the cost of living in town and
city would be greatly lessened and
among laboring people
and the operatives of Industrial con-
germs would largely decrease if it did
not entirely disappear. Why and
Present road conditions compel
to rush their products TO
as soon as harvested, when
The roads are at their best, since by
. convenient time they may
not get there at all because OF bad
This naturally congests the
market, forcing low prices, to the
dnAr;mant of the and