The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-10-13

To haul this cotton oyer the roads such
 as we have i'll our state now will cost
 25 cents per ton per mile, which is equiv
 alent to 90 cents per bale for eight miles,
 making q net loss of 34 cents per bale
 on cotton This shows an absolute loss
 stuck in the mud, so to speak, which
 cannot do anyone any good whatever,
 and which represents a stupendous loss
 on one product alone of the farm that
 amounts to s5lo,000 in the aggregate. "The farmer must, therefore, haul his
 cotton seed, the most valuable by-product
 of the cotton, which amounts to some-
 thing like 150,oO0 tons, over this esti-
 mated average of eight miles of mis-
 erable, uiry roads, at cost of 25 cents
 per ton per mile, or $2 per ton for the
 entire eight miles, which aggregates
 S1, 900. With good roads these 750,000
 tons of cotton seed can be hauled the estimated average eight miles for $600,000,
 an annual saving of $900000 in favor of good roads. These colossal figures consti-
 tute an eloquent pleading against this
 wanton waste, which absolutely benefits
 no one, bur in a few instances causes direful distress. My fellow citizens, I have called your
 attention to the great loss sustained by
 one, great product from the fertile soil of our southland that you might com prehend the heavy tax burden, for 1t Is practically a tax, imposed by the bad
 roads under which the people of Alabama are staggering. The loss to be incurred
 by the people on this years crop, combin- ing the cotton seed by reason of poorly constructed roads, will amount in the aggregate to s1,4i0,O0O.
 To Formulate Bill
 "I would particularly urge that a strong
 representative committee be named by
 this patriotic, public-spirited body. whose duty it shall be to formulate bill
 having for it's purpose modern legisla- tion of nature whereby a state high
 way commission may be created, whose duty it shall be to construct roads throughout this great state, our beloved
 Alabama, along practical business lines Also that the same committee take up the proposition of having each county send to the University of Alabama at least five young men each year to study and become expert road engineers, and
 when they return to their home counties
 be trained to assist and cooperate with
 the various county boards of road and revenue commissioners of our state. One of the greatest costs is the want of
 Knowledge and the criminal neglect of | maintenance.
 Tt is of paramount importance that the | lawmakers of our state assist in this great task. Nearly all of the counties Iof the state, with one or two exceptions, | require advice and skilled guidance from | a highway commission, properly quail | fled in the construction of their roads. | This commission should have for it's
 president a high-class, practical and in- | dustrious road engineer, who should give
 to the various county commissioners and | others who have charge of the construc-
 tion of roads bridges and culverts, and l 4l 1xyf<
 proximating3a scientific nature.
 Money and Labor Wasted
 T deplore the fact that many bond is-
 sues, large sums of money, as well as
 much labor, have been ruthlessly wasted, | because of the fact that some of the
 counties were not properly informed as | to the proper methods of constructing and maintaining their public highways. | In many instances the money has been | almost a total loss A highway commits | sion would not only prevent this, but it
 would infuse new life into the road | building situation It would be the in- itiatory step toward inaugurating prac- | tical business methods and the adoption | of a system such as characterizes the
 pursuits of successful business undertak- | ing.
 "The proper construction of public roads and the maintenance thereof Is a | matter of more importance to the people | than almost any other measure which | falls under their consideration individual | ly or collectively; yet not as much bus
 mess intelligence is applied ordinarily in | conducting it, as Is usually employed in | operating a one-horse farm.
 "I desire to call your attention to the
 enormous waste and loss such as has | been in vogue in Alabama for the last | 40 years since I attained by majority; the
 money collected and the statute labor ap- piled has amounted in round figures to | $20OO,0O0 per year. This during my time of recollection concerning such matters,
 amounted to the stupendous sum of ESQ., | 100000, an absolute loss sunk in the mud
 and scattered to the winds. During that l time not permanent mile of road con | struction has been made to show for the money spent.
 "The time is propitious for this associa- l tion and the delegates here assembled to l call the attention of our lawmakers to | this enormous waste, and to have them enact progressive and modern legisla- | tion. @ 4%
 Maintain the Roads When Built l gro stop the enormous loss of money
 and labor and to employ good, practical
 business methods for. construction and 10 see that proper laws are enacted for the maintenance of roads after they have been constructed It is criminal to construct a road, culvert or bridge, then neglect it. The old adage, "A stitch | in time saves nine.' The great Napoleon conquered empires, but the victory he achieved that he gave to the French people, in the construction of her mag nificent dirt roads that have made the French people the most prosperous of any in the world per capita, iJ the good | roads that he built in France- That Is | the greatest monument which is more