The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1906-07-18
The Good Roads Convention
Friday.


Two propositions especially advo
Gated by the National Good Roads
Association, IS National and State Aid
for road purposes and the employment
OF convict and jail labor Ia road build
ing. Both propositions are right and
the people should arouse themselves
In an effort 20 secure such legislation
The National Government spends
millions of dollars annually for the
Improvement of the rivers andharhors
and 10 is right that ID should, but why
should not equally as much money be-
appropriated boy Congress at each ses-
sion, 70 aid IN building public roads,
substantial permanent highways that
will beautify Tie country and enhance
The value Of farm lands, increase pro
duction, cheaper the cost OF living as
nothing else will The farmers Of the
country pay 20 per cent of the tax to
support the National Government to
paw 20 IS running expenses, build It's
baltleshlps and maintain It's army and
navy What direct benefit do they gets
A few packages Of garden seeds, sent
out by Congressman for campaign pur-
poses aud a few agricultural and
weather reports and volumes of uuin-
terest,ng statistics Why not more
equal distribution OF the peoples
money!
Why should not the state aid in
building and caring for these public
highways; Our mountains are being
robbed Of It's coal, oil and gas, aud
our farms Of their products, our lands
of their timber by "Bulls and Bears
who rummage the stock markets and
pouuce ON the poor individual who is
unable 20 market his products on ac-
count of the bad condition OF the
roads. ln the meantime few are
growing rich, taxable values are null
tiplying, but the time will eventually
come, when much il moi an OF this will
bee gone, consequently had we not bet
ter demand that al the taxable wealth
of the county, state and nation be com.
PEELED 20 pay their proportional part
as well as the agricultural interests OF
this country 90 establish permanent
ard lasting system of public roads.
before this taxable wealth has been exc
hausted.
Also why should a thousand conyicts
the State penal institutions be hired
out to enrich a few favorite individual
private contractors competing with
honest labor, while hundreds more
languish 10 jails. at the expense of
the taxpayers, when each and every
one OF them could bee employed advan-
tageously. probably and more health
fully either 10 preparing material or
IN building public roads or the streets
Of our cities
We complain of railroad rates and
Justly SO, but TO haul a load of fruit
over our roads five miles as they are
now detracts more from their market
able value and subtracts more from
the profits of the grower than does the
freight on them over the railroad and
steamship lines to Liverpool and
London, unless the greatest care is ex-
ercised they are made unfit for market
The object and purpose OF the Good
Roads Convention not only concerns
the merchant, banker, manufacturers
/ but all taxpayers, especially the far
mers and should in every way be en-.
couraged.
1t is the duty OF every man, woman
aud child TO attend the sessions OF this
Convention and be enlightened on the
Good Roads subject TIE time has
Come when the people Of the country as
we'll as the city are demanding better
roads and streets, and without the
hearty cooperation of everybody,
nothing can be accomplished. 1t is a
non-partisan movement and men OF all
parties are working side by side and
hand in hand to accomplish the desir