The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1906-03-14
rho Ramiiications Of the PROBLEM.


that the movement for good roads is
an important one. will not consume
your time in discussing that PROPOSE
tion. but will briefly refer to some of
the conditions Which have influenced
the calling Of this convention.
| How does the movement affect tho
farmer? And when / speak Of the
farmers interest / refer to the inter
ests of the whole community, because
the interests Of the merchants, pro-
fessional men, bankers, and or all cit
izens, are absolutely dependent upon
the interests Of the farmer. IL the
farming interests prosper, the whole
State prospers.
We have in the State of Iowa. dur
Ing six to nine months of the year, the
best roads on the face of the earth, but
during the remainder Of the year we
have the worst roads in existence. Let
us consider now the effect upon the
producer of our cereal crops. Take
the producer of corn, for example.
His harvest takes place in the fall.
His grain is not in fit condition for the
distant market until the month of De-
cember He is forced to market his
grain Immediately after its maturity,
while the roads are in fair condition,
or postpone the day of realization
thereon until the following summer.
The result is that he must unite with
his neighbors and with all producers
throughout the community and deluge
the market with his crop. 1t has a
disastrous effect upon the market in
depressing the price. 1t produces an
embargo in railroad transportation,
and frequently during several months
of the year it is impossible for the
common carriers to furnish rolling
stock adequate to carry the grain to
the market.
What is true of the corn crop is like
wise true of other cereal crops. 1t is
true of the hog crops. although the
hogs themselves may furnish their
own locomotion; but you know how
serious an effect upon the weight of
the animals the driving of a drove OF
aCSo OtCA hNCf clA vi tel lulleS lO
market is. Therefore it is in the inter-
est of the farmer that roads should be
open and passable and available for
the transportation of his produce for
the entire year.
But agriculture is undergoing a
transformation. With the growth of
population in cities and towns there is
a demand for better class of produce.
Thus the creamery and the dairy de-
velop. Now roads must be open
throughout the entire year in order to
market milk, the cream, the butter,
the eggs. and the perishable garden
crops which the farmers likewise pro-
duce.
At the national convention held at
Chicago in 1898 this proposition was
discussed as it affected common car
riers, and it was there announced that
the Wabash Railroad had voluntarily
offered to transport all building mete-
rial necessary for the permanent i'm
provement Of their highways at cost.
| am satisfied that il we undertake a |
movement upon practical lines we can
secure the cooperation not only of |
business men Of the cities, but Of COM
mon carriers throughout the length |
and breadth of our State and of the |
land itself. 1t is to their interest to |
cooperate, for the reason that they |
want to utilize their rolling stock |
throughout the year. They want to
avoid freight embargoes. They do not
care to see avalanches of produce
forced upon them for transportation
during a limited period of the year,
oyertaxing their capacity and involv- |
ing them in controversies with ship
pers, but would prefer to keep their
rolling stock in motion throughout the
year instead of having it overwhelmed
portion of the year and lying idle
upon the tracks the remaining portion.
met a gentleman who is in the liv-
cry business. put the question to
him: DO you not think that we in Des
Moines are interested in the improve
ment Of country roads, the leading
highways passing from the city into
the country" why" he says, most
lssuredly. and we ought to pay for
them. ! have paid during this present
bad road term SIS ton for hay,
If the highways leading from
The country into the city had been
open throughout the entire winter |
would have paid but $S."
Now that is an illustration that can
1e carried very much farther. Take
he merchant for example. During
he period when roads are bad he finds
his business absolutely stagnant. He
makes his sales to his customers; the
buy on credit. The merchant
demands payment. The uniform ex-
use Is: I'VE can't pay. We can't
haul our produce to market. You will
AVE to wait until the roads are OPEN"
The result is that the merchant is {
compelled to go to the bank and bor- I
ow money until he can collect from {
lis debtors. i
Take the manufacturers and the Job {
'ers- They sell to the country mer- '
hants. The country merchants suffer
rom the embargo caused by bad roads. Z
hey cannot collect from fheir co,,nt,.,, I