The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-09-09

Birmingham Ledger recently made a .riT
 way from the Tennessee to the gulf, bs
 the way of Morris, Warrior, Blounl
 Springs Culman and Hartselle to De
 catur, and found the people along the
 route to be very enthusiastic on The subject of good roads. The rank and file lof people, not only in Jefferson county
 but the surrounding counties, are fast
 awakening to the benefits accruing to
 the district traversed by good roads. This
 work has been carried on by those faith full in the cause as an educational work
 and the results have proven encouraging to your committee. We realize the fact
 that what the American people undertake Ithey can with their strength energy and
 intellect accomplish. We find every gee ton of the state of Alabama pointing
 to Birmingham as standard, a model
 to go by in the development of almost every line of industry and enterprise, and this obtains also in the, cause of good roads.
 "A high tribute was paid to the efforts of the Chamber of Commerce and the civic bodies in Birmingham and her suburbs on this work. We are recognized as he real market of the state for farm and garden products, the small towns are distrbuting points from which the en- | tire state is supplied with the staple articles of trade, but all perishable stuff of necessity must reach the trade cen- ters. where the consumption is large. We find the subject of good roads ia- | tional one.
 we are assured by the Hon. John H. Barkhead that another year will not pass before there will be an appropriation made by the national government for aid In building roads, such as state highways and main thoroughfares.
 "The possibilities in Jefferson county are greater than those In surrounding counties, therefore much more is expected of us in the establishment of better roads,
 By making good roads, we facilitate transportation of freight and communiea- tion of settlements. thereby benefting the entire population in the building up of churches and schools and the improve ment of society, by making 1t possible for neighbors to mix and mingle with neighbors at a reasonable distance In reasonable length of time; not only that, but the handling of freights are cheapened in the proportion of cents per ton per mile on good roads, as against Ss cents on bad roads, and 25 cents on average country roads.
 "By calculations furnished by French financial journal we learn the relative wealth of our great country to others. The United States is worth something about S125 coo, ,OO0,OOO in commercial valuation, as against. Great Britain's SsS,000, 100000, and sSo, ,OCI 900, 600 for France. We stand. how ever, In third place in per capita wealth of each individual in the United States given as $l365, in Great Britain's S9l5 and $207O for France thus, it is shown the country with the best roads known in the world has the highest per capita wealth. The latest statistics on money circulation in the United States shows our per capita to be s34.S2. It Is doubtful if this district has it's proportioned part of currency in it. By calculation we. f1nd that for every $10o in valuation we have about $2 .571a in currency. making it neces- sary in the transa ction of S1O0 in business to carry s97. 421a as a credit, and pay the balance in cash. Thus is emphasized the advisabilty of keeping every dollar
 possible at home, thereby increasing our
 stock of money and making commercial | transactions easier and more profitable. | "A large percentage of our currency
 is wasted in transportation of foreign | r,l, a nd
 the working man shares alike in the | loss or profit and inconvenience caused | by this waste. Tt is in the range of possibility to stop this waste; first, the people must be educated up to the point that this leakage exists, told how to stop it, and you may trust them to do the work; in this case we are message bearers, and your committee has done such plish the same.
 Let's encourage the idea and the practice of doing work when done at all with the view to permanency. Keep ing the grade down to not above per cent, and the bridges constructed of building material such as steel and concrete; let no old antiquitated ideas of building bridges with pine blanks be tolerated. keep in mind the state and | it's requirements, and fill your offices with competent men who are in earn est about these matters.
 This question of good roads, bridges and causeways is one that affects com merciaf and farming interests in every | 1f l.tz Let us all pull together and do our duty and success will crown our eff