The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1909-07-22

Aprohounced success. Ii was feared that
owing u the short notice only few
would be present. but the audience was
"A very good one and those present were
r.. reseutative citizens
Mayor Il Lewis Wallace presided ex.
piained how she meeting had been called
stated its object, expressed himself as
tavorins the building Of good roads aud
Introduced the speakers
MR.. BRYAN.
The first speaker was Mr. J. Stewart
BrJ an, editor Richmond Times Dispatch,
4" no made very pleasing address. He
said he was not & stranger ia Freder-
icAsburg. that he had frequently been
here and that soDe OF his al cestors had
resided here. Mr.. Bryan said he was de-
lighted 10 address a Freder.cs sburg au-
dience; that the people every " here have
walked up and now realize the value
/ al good roads Good roads he said.
mean civilization. Every thing has pro-
gres-ed In recent years, but roads have
remained In their same old impassable
condition. The farmers, he said. are the
greatest losers by bad roads. Nothing
can give more happiness than good
roads. Good roads represent good citi.
zsnship. You have only so much time to
live, and the farmers are being deprived
oil their birthright. They are working
ali the time for the Sultan of lethargy
and Inertia, and their labor Is not pro
ducing all IL should.
No one will work for 81 profit on an
acre when be can make $50 an acre on
a good truck farm You have Washing.
ton, Richmond. Baltimore and PhilAdsl-
phia waiting Tor your produce, but
you have got to get it transported, and
you can't transport IL on bad roads
with any prOht. In order To reAp
the benefits OF your climate and fertile
soil you must have good roads. and n
you'll get behind the movement and helm
those who are trying TO help you, and
get good roads, you will find your.
selves on the verge of wealth
never before dreamed %. You have rail-
road facilities. you have splendid water
power, you have fertile soil You need
only To recognize your opportunity TO
make Frederick sburg one of the best and
richest cities In the State. There l. no
place In America today-And / say IL
advisedly that has better opportuni.
ties II you viii only build the roads you
so sadly need. You have the chance and
an inspiring opportunity. Take advan-
taze OF IL, build your roads, and you
Will be prosperous
Mr.. Bryan was warmly applauded at
the conclusion of his speech.
MR.. PENNYBACKER
| Mr.. j. 4. Pennybacker, representing
the u. ). Agricultural Department, said
the government is always ready TO en-
courage the building Of good roads
Good roads are necessary To the higher
development OF farming and the prosper
ity OF the farmers. The good roads
problem Is the most important which
| controDts you. lt has come to the point
where the farmer believes the road Ques-
SION is a matter OF dollars aud cents, for
they Increase his earnings and hls wealth.
Ten years ago ur department began a
systematic aud careiuI Investigation intO
the road problem, and discovered that
TO haul products over the country roads
here costs 23 cents a mile, while In
Europe, where the countries believe IN
good roads and have them, the cost is
out 10 csnts a mile per ton, aud ia some
places only cents. 10 this country
go 600 600 tons are hauled annusllV
over the country roads, the average dis
tance Tor hauling to railroads being
about nine miles.
And Tor this hauling you have to
carry burden OF $685. 100000 to get
your products to the market, which IL
two end hall times as much as il costs
10 Europe. you reduced this cost one
hall you wouid save one-qusrter o, bill
li''n dollars. ln 1906 it cost one-sixth
less To carry the wheat from New York
10 Liverpool than IL did here to haul il
Co the railroads.
But one Of the greatest items uf gain
Is the increase In land vaiuss. Conserva-
lively estimated, the Increase IN value is
from 81 to 50 an acre. ard 10 the United
Stats there are over 500, 900 0c0 acres
Il tarm lands, which Will give you some
idea Of the total Increase Ia land values
Another Important point Is that good
roads mean not only saving In hauiug
expenses aud Increase In land values,
Dnt all the idle acres will also be cult
vaied. In this county only one-haf of
the ara Is cultivated, and you have not
Tar to seek Tor the reason.
Nov as to intensive farming The
average value per acre oi truck farm.
ing Is $40. as compared with $S for
" at raising. know of one place ear
Norfolk, a farm Of four acres, where the
MT profit per acre was 81 900. or a.. 600
Ia all
"ln the Usited States the average
value OF acres 10 froit is $SI, and Sou
VIII hnd fruit tanning "a mi1e Of wealth
bot you must have good roads But
how Will you get q Oh rOad2 The move
meot has be'n iDeugurated by The
Tunes Dispatch aud the Washington
Post, but IL II up To you TO see that you
get them, aud remember that ,lod helps
thoss who help themselves The county
has Issued no bonds. but it 10 the best
possible way. By Issuing bonds you can
them now. and at a lower cost th ln
tnat brought on by the annual cash tax.
fIr the larger the under taking the less
cost per mile And you will hardly feel
the cot "
He showed that the average decrease
IA population in twenty-five counties
taken at rAndom) where there are bad
roads was 3 500, and that ths Increase
In population IN 25 counties where
they have good roads was 33 600 He
referred TO the bearing roads have on
schools. aud showed that 10 Ave States
where the roads had been improved. rs
children out oievery 100 attended school.
and that In - many States where had
roads exist, So out OF every 100 children
do not attend school
He stated that the county 10 spendioa
$50 600, 900 a year In patching up old
roads, which means that much money
gone. France has spent $265, ,O0O, 900
on roads. and now has the finest system
In the world. But organic alton Il the
keynote OF success, he said, for the indi-
vidual can do nothing by himeeli