The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-09-08
Bdnkhead Addressed
 The Rural Carriers

to mine that 1t will be too costly to use. It is the same with timber, the inroads on the forests of the country have been simply barberous; but here is where the shoals and falls of the rivers come in, there is so much power in these rapids that coal and wood. as fuel. will not De missed. Electricity is the solution of these questions. z I asked Major Hart. of the engineering corps, to estimate the power of Mus cle Shoals in the Tennessee river, and he said after the computation, that a power equal to that produced by coal. through steam. power of 2,6oO tons of coal went absolutely to waste there on an average of every day in the year. Think of the power flowing ur- checked away in the Coosa, Tallapoosa. Tornbigbee and Alabama rivers. thous- ands and thousands of tons of. power. estimated by its equivalent in coal, flow out to the sea in this state daily. a dead loss to the people of Aiabama.'
 But this lavish waste is not to last. in a few years these mighty engines of nature will be in harness working for the people. when there are enough people in the rural districts to demand the power supply, and the only way to get the people there is through good roads, lack of transportation will leave over half of the state's area wilderness, think of the wealth accru- ing to all when the state has the popu- lation It's natural resources warrant.
 Light and power in few years. in- troduced by good roads. will soon be as common in every part of Alabama as the taliow dip was a quarter of century ago. as kerosene is today. The advent of this electrical supply will mean suburban trolley systems being extended through every quarter Of the State they will make neighbors Of those living thirty miles away. and bring the people of Alabama in such close touch with each other that we will be the biggest and strongest clan on earth. This water power is the greatest asset of Alabama today. greater than its multitudinous mineral resources.
 we must look ahead to these things; the man today who consumes without providing for the future pcpu- lace. is like the man who buys food for himself and leaves his family to starve, it is parallel case. Such men 1t would be better Tor all if they did not exist
 Worthy of Higher Pay.
 saThis development depends mostly on the rural mail service. the educa- ton of the outlying communities. with out good roads the carriers are help less and when one stops to think of the work they are doing. these mediums who bring education to the doors of the people. we must see that they are worthy of higher pay"
 (After ten minutes of tumultuous ap plause the Senator. continued)
 "These carriers have to furnish their own vehicles and draft animals, they travel twenty-five miles on an average every day. and on roads. In some com munities, that are not worthy of the name. Now do not say for a moment that the carriers in the cities do not also deserve more pay; but when one stops to think that the city carrier walks on. in most places. paved streets. 1t does not seem fair that the rural carrier should have to furnish his own team, and do 1t on less money than the man in the citv."
 Sincere and heartfelt applause that had the ring of a thunderstorm, and the volume of an artillery engagement. here interrupted the speaker for am other ten ninutes.)
 T believe" continued the speaker. that the day is not far distant when instead of beating on the back end of his own mule. the rural carrier will touch an electric button in en auto mobile.
 (Pandamonium would have seemed like a cemetery compared to the demonstration that followed the utter ance, rural carriers slapped each other on the back. swapped chews. lent each other money, and there is no telling what they would have done had not Mir. Bankhead held up one of his hands silence again reigned.)
 T will advocate, as a member of the Senate Postal Committee, these things at the next session of Congress, and will advocate the increase of the pay of the postal carriers. The parcel post must be developed and it would be such that the men could not handle 1t with their present facilities. When we have the roads. then these things have named will be facts, things we know are in store for us in the future pends now absolutely on the improve ment of the greRk public highways, the arteries of trS state. the highways to prosperity and plenty.
 "As there apa others who will speak on the subjeqf of good roads. I will not try to coverkt all. and that reminds mo of the sto& of the old lady and the goose. TMs old lady sent her husband to set ane goose. and when he came back, F4Ae asked how many eggs he lshsy 6W under her; the old man an- fnk leA Twenty"
 aleL le& wife threw up her hands; do 9ttu expect one goose to cover that nkany eggs?
 Well. the old fellow replied. I just uent over and said to the goose: <Spread yourself. old girl. spread your s9lf." do not want to try to do what