Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1911-08-04

time. low interest bonds. The tax
per capita to carry these bonds at
three per cent, when all are issued.
would be about Is cents per ear
three car fares Then let the state
a One-third from a general tax levy,
or. better still. by a bond issue. and
one-third paid locally by the township.
Ii is common practice for the state to
contribute to road building under
what is popularity known as the state
aid plan--the townships have been
doing the little that has been done
and doing 1t without help for many
years. The new feature OF the prop
osition is the federal contribution.
for which there is ample authority
and for which there is a precedent
and a paramount need.
Within the last few years there has
been a great hue and cry throughout
the land for waterway improvement;
conventions have been held and the
demand made that the federal gov
eminent contribute $500. 000. 900 to
that end. at the rate of $50. 900 900 a
year for ten years. The point the
writer desires to make is that where
it is possible for one ton of freight
or produce to be carried by water.
there would be thousands of tons
moved by wagon owe the public high
ways. and that If the amoun of
money demanded for waterway i'm
provement were applied to highways.
1t would be hundreds of times more
beneficial, and the benefits would
reach all of the people.
The government is using about 90O.-
900 miles of public roads for rural
mail delivery and these are post
roads within the meaning of the Con
stitution. Congress has express pow
er to build and maintain post roads.
and If it can build and maintain
them it certainly could help to do
it.
The question may be asked wheth-
er a bond issue of $500, 00O, 900 for aid
in road building would be at all haz-
ardous. BY referring to the state
ment of the treasury department. one
will find that the present bond issue
amounts to about $11 per capita. and
the annual interest charge is % cents.
The issue of $500. OOO,0 0 of bonds
WOulO CdI1y Inc OOAO 4OOuO oP " oP
proximately SIG per capita and the
interest charge to A cents. At that
rate 1t would be the smallest bonded
indebtedness per capita of any of the
leading countries of the world. AS
against the SIG, Great Britain has a
debt of $88 per capita, German $40,
Italy $92, and France $144. 1t is per
fectly safe to say hat if the govern
ment would issue and expend $500.
000, 900 of bonds in aiding he con
struction of permanent highways, the
people would never know that an ad-
ditional tax had been imposed and
would never feel the payment. This
step would give a mighty impetus to
road building, and in ten or fifteen
years probably 400, 600 miles Of good
roads could be built. and this would
revolutionize TRANSPORTATION and
would add UNNECESSARILY to the pleas.
ure of country life, and would add sew
eral times the amount to the prop
erty value of the nation, and give us
better schools, higher social life and
a higher standard of civilization.
There is a widespread demand for
a parcels post, and as congress usu'
ally responds to popular demand, and
always does If the clamor is lou and
long enough. So it Is quite probable
the parcel post will be tried out.
Let the government help build good
roads-the highways over which the
children must go to school. the doc
tor to reach the suffering and over
which must pass every bushel o.
grain and every bale of cotton raised
the road which reaches every field
every farm home and every market
town. The people everywhere de
mand good roads. Roads are univer
sal; waterways are sectional. Coco
roads mean a saving in transportation
far greater than can be accomplished
in any other way. Good roads NEAR
better schools. more social life and 8
higher standard of living; they NEAR
progres and civilization.
A public office sometimes looks like
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