The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1908-11-05


the manufacturers of such vehicles
/ With improved roads the use of
motor trucks for the conveyance
of farm products 10 market should
become general in all sections of
the country, thus enabling the
farmer to market his crops more
quickly an at less expense. l be-
lieve that no injury is caused to
macadem roads by these CONNER
Cial vehicles, but on the contrary
their rubber tires operate practical
ly as rollers and serve to keep such
roads in good condition.
In this connection l wish to en-
phasize the fact that the road
question in the United States is
not only farmers question but
first Of all, question of the COM
mercial use OF the highwys. To
the farmer the roads are the means
of transporting his products to
market, and it is from this point of
view that the farmers will insist
that all plans for road improve
ment must be considered. Over
our country roads there are annual
ly hauled nearly 200, 900, 900 tons
of staple farm products, and if to
this add the smaller products such
as fruit, milk, eggs, etc, and the
/ fertilizers, feed, coal, lumber, etc,
taken from the town to the farm
we still have an aggregate of at
least $50, 900, 900 tons carried for
long or short distances over our
highways. These figures show the
enormous Importance to the farm
ers of a system of improved roads
that would enable them to reduce
the cost Of hauling this volume of
freight from one-half to two thirds
OF what it now costs them. 1t is
estimated by competent authorities
that over the ordinary country
road the farmer draws an average
of , 900 pounds an average dis
lance of - miles at cost of $500,
and it has been shown that with
improved roads the cost of moving
the same load that distance would
be but little more than SI.oO.
Making allowance for exceptional
cases it is certain that the cost of
transpCrtating ton Of farm pro-
ducts over improved roads is not
Onehalf of the cost over earth roads.
Under a general system of improv-
ed roads the cost of hauling these
100000, 900 tons would be cut in
two, thus c1fec' ing a direct saving
to the farmers or the country of at
least SI25,ooo,o 900 annually.
Nor is this the only saving to
the farmers that would be effected
through improved roads. Because
of bad roads the farmers or their
hired men must now spend twice
as much time on the road as would
be required under proper system.
In bad weather the roads are often
impossible, 50 that time must be
taken from the farm work in fine
weather to get the crops to market.
With system of good roads over
which farm products could be haul
ed in one half of the time now
necessary, the farmers would have
just so much additional time for
other work, and could therefore
greatly increase the productivity
of their farms.
1t is needless to say that | should
not occupy your time with any
extended statement of the benefit
of good roads. The direct saving
in dollars and cents is only one of
the many advantages to the farmers
that would result from improved
roads. There can be no question
that the deplorable condition of
our roads is to large extent re-
sponsible for the dissatisfaction
with country life, which drives so
many OF our people into the towns
and cities. Bad roads make farm
ing Improbable and undesirable
They Increase the solitude of life
on the farm by making more diff
cult and less frequent visits to the
neighbors, and to the villages and