The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1911-11-23

veloped! why do men build ships t
carry goods in large quantities from
one to another remote point? VIII,
did Jim" Hill build his great trunl
line railway for passenger seryic,
only, and the profits (?) arising
therefrom? Do not these variou
branches of endeavor stand concom
liant OF recognized economical value
to something not directly touched
i upon by main trunk line? what il
meant by the expression that the
farmers would oppose the building
OF trunk lines, but that they would
favor and support radii lines OF
wagon ways to and from the local
market centers? Do not these radii
lines to the local points carry be-
yond? For what position does the
garnery at this or that local point
mean but that it's object, secondarily,
is to serve as a medium for the sup
port OF the large consuming centers?
Pshaw, the trouble with SO many
OF us is, that we either. are rank
economists, or because of our selfish
cupidity, or as a means to an end
politically, we might even be tempt
ed to oppose the Christ's descent
from the cross of Calvary, if we
could, by this means attain to our
own political, or social but. Call con-
sidered), rot economical prefer
ment.
Suppose the United States gov
eminent at Washington had fore
seen how destructive to our rich ag-
ricultural, as well as mineral lands.
the construction Of military high
ways will have been, what do you
think the pioneers, by their numer-
GUS caravans would have accom-
plished toward the running of later
al lines at the different points? If
trolley line will increase the value
of properties along its course, what
would wagon-roa do to an other
wise non-producing section of the
state? If by making easy of access
lands that now produce nothing,
and which may be bought for few
dollars an acre, to become produc-
tive, what natural increase in value
would follow merely the builded
highway without furrow being
turned on an acre thereof?
1t seems to me that by construct
ing roadways to connect the north
ern, with the other half of this state.
the designers have in mind some
thing beside mere divisional devel-
opment. For my part, / cannot see
how such work could possibly fail
to benefit the south half even more
than it would the northern portion.
What trade demand is to be OBJ
served in the direction Of the rail-
ways of the state, aside from the
port of Duluth? For answer look
upon the commercial map of your
state. By building good roads, set
OF unoccupied lanGs is sure
to follow. Farm developments go
toward establishing small trade
marts; small trade marts grow with
the increasing abundance of the har-
vests, and, in turn, demand outlets
for the surplus. which means the
building of branch lines Of railways
for quicker transport of that surplus
to the great consuming centers. You
don't have to ask the poor, hard
land-poor young farmer
what he would do, if a good road is
provided him over which he may
journey to the rich, undeveloped
lands in the wilderness. Just build
the road and then watch him put
yoke to his oxen, his little ALP into
his wagon-box-he'll show you what
he would do.
There is more stress to be laid
upon the fact of lack of good roads
in these our north states as thei
cause of those migrations to the
Canadian provinces of Alberta and !
Saskatchewan than upon the ac-
claimed favorable climatic condi-
lions, etc., of those northwest pro- !
vinces.
If your public-spirited citizen is
he genuine article, he will boost
Tor every inch of him the possibili-1
les for rich harvests lying dormant
IN his own state, and would scorn
% be the knocker that he is when
opposing the good roads " ork of
he Northern Minnesota Develop
nent association. y