The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-05-04

one Of the most vigorous speeches
DELIVERED in Congress in some rilna
on the subject Of good roads was an
address by Representative William
Sulzer, of New York, q few days ago.
Mr.. Sulzer believes tina the people
OF n country would approve gov
aid in the construction Of
mode highways. and for years h has
been fighting to secure this aid. He
says that good roads would contrib
ute to the progressed prosperity OF
the people everywhere. He shows
that they Will benefit jewellers IN the
city as we'll as those who live in the
country. H shows that the ~farn7eTs
are coming TO realize that the diff
ference between good roads u bad
roads is the difference between profit
and loss: that the man who lives
on the improved highway has an inn
mems advantage in the fight for pros
perity over TIE man who lives on the
ordinary unimproved turnpike, where
the Wagon wheels sink TO the hub in
bad weather. The money value Of
good roads IS being impressed every
where, and when that is done action
by Congress will follow.
Mile stones of Civilization.
The number of good roads in their
country are the mile stones marking
the advance Of civilization" said Mr..
Suizer. They continue to economize
time, give labor q lift. and make mil
lions in money; they aid the social
and the religious and the education
and the industrial progress OF the
people, they mean the economical
transportation Of marketable products;
they promote social intercourse: pre-
vent intellectual ~stagnation. and in
crease the happiness and prosperity
Of our producing masses. They are
the ~ligarnents that bind the c0untry
together in thrift and energy and in
~tellisence and patriotism.
In the report Of County Life Com
mission, of which c. s. Barrett. Of
Union City, Georgia, was q member.
submitted 10 Congress by President
Roosevelt last February, the improve
ment Of good roads was among the
specific recommendations made. The
commission declared that education
and good roads in the country were
the two needs most frequently men
toned in the hearings they conduct
ed, They declared that all the work
shou}i be cooperative between the
Federal government and the States.
and thought the first thing necessary
was to provide per supervision and
direction and TO develop q national
plan.
The proposal for the systematic de-
Nelopment Of the country's highways
has been strengthened and aided i'm
m~easurably by the interest DISPLAYED
by these farmers organizations every
where. A recent publication By the
united States Department of Agricul-
ture IS another forceful as
showing the direct connection between
good roads and the value of farm
lands that property along improved
highways enhance instantly and con
tinually in value IS proven by statjs-
ties gathered by the office Of Public
Roads and published as Bulletin No.
So. The public road mileage, i'm
proved roads, expenditures in the
United States in the year 1904, IS set
forth in enlightening tables. 1t shows
that the percentage of the improved
roads Of the various States where
farm land is worth less than $50 Der
acre IS Is per cent; whereas in the
states in which the average vallle of
farm lands exceeds $50 per acre i'm
proved roads are nine per cent of the
total mileage. It is show that the
building OF a model highway connect
ing with a nearby market town has
caused farm lands to enhance from
fifty to five hundred per cent. In the
speech of Hon. \. J. Bachelor above
alluded to he said: The farmers
have, for a long time, believed that
the highways Of the country are of
greater importance than it's water
ways, and that every argument in ia