The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-11-09

waterways would be of inestimable
service. These contemplated projects
Will call upon the people for vast
sums.
4. The construction Of highways
TO meet the conditions and the de-
mands Of a modern civilization is a
problem SO stupendous as to be al
most unthinkable; yet it is reason
able; 1t is i~mperative; it must be ac-
complished. There are over our mil
lion miles Of highways to be made
good. At a cost of five thousand dol
lars per mile it would call for twenty
billions Of dollars. 1t Roman roads
are made it will require forty bill
lions. We have just begun to think
about the problem.
18th. Conservation Of the natural
resources. the soil, the streams, the
mines, the forests, has taken a deep
hold upon the public mind. It in
wolves the expenditure Of vast sums
for improvement, development and
protection, but it will pay a rich divi-
dend to the future even if the ex-
penditures should be a hundred times
the estimates. There must be no I'M
certain position OF this vital question.
Soils must be conserved, rights in
water and mines held, and forests
preserved for the public good.
80. The problem Of d~efenses has
ever been one Of the most important
III Iu0 nISIO1q Ol IdllOIS, dilu CNSlJ
ear it increases in magnitude, in in
tricacy and in scientific uncertainty.
But little more than a decade has
elapsed since our fleet annihilated
that Of Spain in Cuban waters; a
single vessel suck as the Delaware,
just launched, could annihilate in
open conflict both the Spanish and
American vessels engaged at Santiago.
Possibly in the next decade a vessel
may be constructed that will be more
| than q match for any single navy in
the world
This shows the uncertainties Of
the future. Nevertheless the paths
of the ocean must be kept open by
powerful naNies, strong fortresses
must be constructed and armies Of
defense provided, for the theory that
we have reached an age of peace is
only a nursery tale to entrap the un-
wary. This calls for great eXpendl-
lures.
I'm the upward march of the race
we have reached a plane of greater
expenditures. We must have better
equipment on the farms and in our
homes and offices. The clothing that
once met our needs and the demands
Of society, is totally inadequate now;
the food hat was rare has become
common and former luxurieS are now
classed as necessities. Living for the
average man costs 800 per cent more
today than it did fifty years ago and
it will continue to increase. Forty
years ago the farmer was thankful to
ahve a lumber wagon for his holiday
outing; later the carriage came as
| the perfection of comfort; now he
T must possess an automobile.
Does anyone believe the wheels of
progress will turn backward and that
we shall voluntarily return to the
frugal ways of our fathers. On the
contrary betterments will be multi
piled and costs will be increased as
the years glide along. Billion dollar
congresses will become common and
in time even an occasional two bill
lion congress will not cause surprise.
/ Here, by items. / have referred to ex-
penditures that will aggregate more
than fifty billions. How are such i'm
mense sums to be raised without i'm
poverishing the masses or arresting
progress? It is evident that our pres
ent resources can not stand the enor-
| nous taxation necessary for carrying
out these vast projects. Either the
nation must sink into hopeless pow
erty under the burden, or the re-
sources of the people must be greatly
augmented. / hear it said I'VE are
rich'-yes, in a way, but q large part
of the great wealth of the United
States is due to increased valuation OF
realty and agains the remainder
must be charged five billions for de-
pletion Of soils-tWenty billions for
destruction of forests and three bill
lions for reduction Of material in
mines. Our present total agricultural
production is about eight billions an
nually. but it costs q total of nearly
seven billions to produce and market
it. and the surplus is needed and is
mainly consumed in betterments OF
town and country. A large part
of these vast sums of money must
be provided by the farmers. Inc
m problem then Is how to
do,,hle the crops Of all kinds now
nroduced. This would be an import
ant step, but suddenly doubling the
cron would probably halve the price,
and leave the net result as at pres