The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1909-05-18
FOR BETTER ROADS

IUu ULIILN uUnUU
Continued From Page One.)
| being discussed and when it was
| shown that the cost of a yard OF
! crushed rock f. o. b. would not exceed
fifty cents, there was not a person
[ present who did not want to see the
plant in operation Immediately.
THE movement is for the farmer,
primarily" said Mr.. Gillian. land in
reality all depends on him. He wants
low rates. but does he think of the
cost of hauling heavy loads over the
! poorest of wagon roads? He is the
man we want to have act in harmony
! with u.s. The committee of which
am a member has done all that is
possible up to date and it is now up to
| us to do the rest
Speaking for the board of directors
Of the local Commercial club, H. III.
Turner next addressed few remarks
and said that if the camp was to be
located in this vicinity, it would only
be when Governor Hay had been as
sured that it would be utilized.
otherwise he will not sanction the
proposition" continued Mr.. Turner,
"for on his recent visit to this city, he
stated that they would only be located
where they would produce results
that is where the people will build
roads, Yakima is our principal COM
petitor in this matter and if we don't
put up bold showing. the people from
there will step in and take it away
from us. This is the turning of the
ways, for up to the present we have
accomplished nothing but holding hot
air" meetings which will not get us
anything.
Mr.. Turner cited instances of where
the improvement of roads had helped
to build up the country and as an apt
Illustration. showed how the inter-ur-
ban line had developed the entire
country adjacent to it.
Il think this is the most important
subject ever presented to the farm.
ers of this country said Elihu Barker
when called upon to address the meet
ing, "and 1 believe that it is a question
that requires the most serious conSid-
Grafton" Showing how the laws of the
state favor road builders, he quoted
! from the recent laws passed at the
last session of the legislature which
are in direct sympathy with the move
ment now On foot The new law will
help to push this project through"
continued Mr.. Barker, land it is a sure
thing that this country needs the good
roads. AS an instance he showed how
the cities in the east are vastly bene-
flied by the good roads leading into
them and stated that in that section of
the United States two horses can pull
as much as eight out west. Sell your
surplus horses and you will be richer
in pocket" said Mr.. Barker, "fOr. it Is
them that keeps the farmer from max
ing all the money that he should
"NOw the only way to get these
| roads is to show the necessity for
them, so get the people to the acting
point. by showing them that it pays to
have good public highways. For every
venture to say that you will get from
two to five dollars in return, this be-
cause of the increased price in land
| that is sure to follow as soon as the
| good roads are assured"
| Warden Charles Reed then spoke
| from the convict side of the question
and showed how it would be an act of
| kindness for the men imprisoned in
| the penitentiary to be allowed to do
this work in the open air.
Il have about 100 men to put on
| this job he said, land they are all
anxious to begin. AS for example, had
applications from 900 men when
wanted 80 to do some work in the up
per country and this shows how anx-
| ious they are to get in the open, in
stead of being bound in cell with
nothing but their thoughts for COM
pany."
Mr.. Blandford followed Superintend-
ent Reed, saying:
There is no more interesting and
| important question now before the ru-
raj population of this country than that
| of farm economy. 1t has been proved
to the satisfaction of every investi-
gator and every student Of this ques-
/ ton that the agriculturiSt who raises
only one crop a year loses money. How
does the loss occur? Take, for illus
tration the farmer who raises wheat
There is large part Of the year when
he is not engaged in raising or hand
| ling the wheat. A part of his farm
is always idle. His hired help are not
always employed; his Workstock and
machinery are also idle, or not profit.
ably employed. In other words, such
man has time, land, help and equip
ment with which he could raise a
large amount of miscellaneous market
+, products. but which he does not raise.
The United States through the de-
partment of agriculture has investi-
gated the question why such a farm
/ er does not raise these products and
| has found the obvious answer that
! it is because the farmer cannot get
1 his products to market at price
above the cost of production, so as to
make it an object to do the extra
work
Loss to Farmer Great
why not? The amer is: Bad
country roads are pleasant to