The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1908-07-07
economy IN
GOOD ROADS

Nothing gives the average citizen
more concern than the matter Of taxa
ton. and yet the farming community
is constantly payins an indirect tax
Of such weight that # would almost
cause a revolution if presented as di-
rect tax for almost any purpose.
That tax is represented in the ex-
pense Of bad roads
This is a matter that at the present
time greatly concerns Oklahoma. The
roads in the greater part Of the new
state have Yet to b. made, and even
in old Oklahoma there is not a single
highway that con be referred to as
first class road.
In an address at Clinton, Ala, recent
", Mr.. John Craft Of Mobile, a pioneer
in the good roads movement, present
ed figures to prove that during the
last forty years the people Of that
state have actually lost S147O0OOOO
because Of bad roads. He said:
Have you farmers any idea what
you are taxed year on account Of
bad roads? Let me exemplify to you
to move one product, the average crop
Of 200, 600 bales Of cotton year, so
you can get your cotton to the rail
road stations TO the steamboat land
ings and 10 the markets Of the world.
The average haul Of eight miles is so
cents bail on account Of the bad
roads that we have in our state II
we had good roads the cost would be
reduced and would be about 16 cents
a bail That is an absolute loss Of "a
cents on each bale Of cotton. Take an
nually. and it is s34O0O0 take this
average for 40 years, and it would be
another absolute loss amounting tC
sls. 100000; add to that your $4,000,
600.
Il wish to Illustrate another exam
pie to the farmers and their wives
The average amount OF cottonseet
that the farmer has TO sell is abou
100000 tons the average haul j
about 10 miles before he can &c to tb
railroad stations. the steamboat lanC
ings and the cotton seedmills is abou
rs cents 4 ton a mile If he had goo
roads il would be 10 cents ton
mile. This shows an absolute loss {
500, 600 tons al $3.50 on each toi
making s75O.O00 an absolute loss al
nually.
Take that for forty years since
have known the state Il would
further loss Of 10000 900; add thi
to The other two items and YOU vi
see what this great tax is on the ia
mers
I'VE have heard SO much about 4
z fertilizer and the poor farmer agii
ton Ia the recent camqaign-that Il
railroads were charging the poor "a
\ mer too much 10 haul their fertiliz'
4 | My friends I believe there is abe
Il 100000 tons Of fertilizer used in a ye
4 BY the farmers Of Alabama. and
\ costs them 25 cents ton a mile
4 10 haul their fertilizer from the n
road stations. the steamboat landin
, or the merchants store The avera
n haul OF 10 miles II the roads ",
made good and built permanen
u would be about 10 cents ton nj
u That Is an absolute loss OF Sl,50
w every ton Of fertilizer the farmer
TO haul over the bad roads Of {
\ state This Is an absolute loss Of So
0o0 annually to farmers Of AlabaI
or take this FOR 40 years and d
would be s24Oo0.oOO more
Now, my friends, let us take
four items for forty years The
/. item on account OF the unbusinessl
: methods ia maintaining our road s
II tenn Of Alabama is $2.o00.0O0 ys
OF SS0o00,000 Tor 40 years. The n
item on account OF oad roads is
hauling Of cotton. an average mill
bales a year for io years is sl3 600,
The next item. the hauling of 500
tons OF cotton seed, a loss Of $3.50
year OF 80 years Is Ss0.o00000-
other item the fertilizer, 100000 {
lis 100000 a year loss annually