The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-08-01

quicker and can carry from two 10 /
three times as much on his wagon |
and more important, he can depend |
upon his road and bridges every day |
in the year, while the man who en- !
counters swollen streams and i'm
passabie roads often loses his best !
market and his vegetables decay |
upon his hands.
We have two million one hundred
thousand miles of public roads, From
the best information obtainable there |
are about $4,000 miles or = miles out
OF each 100, under high standard
OF Improvement. There are not more
than 175,0O0 miles, or miles out of
each 100. under any kind of improve
ment. In other words, We have
million, 925 thousand miles OF public
roads which are in as poor condition
now as they We're when they were
laid out by our early settlers and
pioneers.
The last congress appropriated 30
million dollars for river and harbOr
Improvements. | am not against river
and harbor improvements. | am only
against the waste that the people OF
this country pay for, through the eX-
penditure of such appropriations.
This 52 million dollars was largely
political distribution. opposed by
President Taft, who gave notice that
he would not again approve such
haphazard expenditures. If our con-
gressmen and other public paid of
ficials could lay aside political ques-
tions which are of no benefit to the
country and give their attention to
economic questions that build up
rather than political agitation and
threats of what htey propose to DO
to the institutions of our country,
there would be a vast difference in
our future growth and prosperity. 1t
Is not the legislation which is en-
acted that does the greatest harm.
Political campaign speeches which
create prejudice and doubt in our
institutions do the most damage.
These will not be stopped until the
farmers elect men to office, both ma
tional and state, who will give at
tention TO working out economic ques-
tions that benefit them. One of these
problems is to give to the farmers
| roads from their farms to the rail
road stations in keeping with the
railroads from the railroad stations
/ to markets.
Good roads would add so greatly
to the comfort health and happiness
of their users that every possible
agency should be employed in making
better roads. Unfortunately, this is
not the way it is working out The
. only proof necessary is that tifty-siX
hundred times as much money is ap-
propriated by congress for military
expenses as for good roads. If it
could be shown to our national law
makers that military roads are needed
for armies and military convenience.
appropriations for millions would be
had without delay. Gen Goethals,
at the head of Panama Canal con-
] gt that this
prise is of first Importance as a mill
tary eXpedience To make this naval
highway in a foreign country for
fighting vessels our government is
spending more money than has ever
been expended for any one simia"
project in the history of the world
The value of good roads has not
been driven home because fedora
and state legislatures feel thai they
can, without being criticised at homa
do little for country roads, and the
people accept such short-sightai poll
cies without protest
If We build 100000 miles Of puzzle
/ highways annually for ten years aud
give to tAis country one million niles
Of good public roads At an average
cost of $4,000 per mile. or $780, .UoO.-
geo annually. We will be ensaSnS in
= national development. ;Ae sdvan-
t&gcs OF which is economies, com.
mcrce. comforts and enhanced land
values. none can foretell We will
be accomplishing something worth
/ while. This work if carr 4 ON by
counties and townships as at pres
cn will be very SLOW Il should D"
I encouraged under a broad ,ompre
hansNe plan outlined by ha federal
government. cooperating with the
states. The agricultural department
OF the government is in sympathy .