Evening journal., 1913-02-04
CALL FOR OFFICIAL INFORMA.
TION.

TION.
To the Editor of THE EVENING
JOURNAL
Sir Our county dirt roads are at
present disgrace to civilized coun-
try. No conception can be had of
their condition without going out over
some of them. The farmers are to be
pitied who are compelled to drag
through such miserable roads day af-
ter day in order that they may be en-
abled to pay their taxes to the coun-
ty. And what in return does the far
mer receive? Why is he called upon
to pay tax at all? In what part of the
governing of the affairs of the coun-
ty or State does he have a voice? We
answer: None whatever He receives
no more recognition from those in
authority than were he a dog. And
those in authority-who are they? We
reply: A lot Of politicians. who noise
abroad in the land just prior TO the
election what wonderful things they
intend to do for the laboring classes,
including the farmers, with only one
motive in their breasts-to acquire the
office In question and incidentally a
living without working for t. These
politicians, once in Office, make laws
that will rebound to the office-holders'
interests and enable them to sap the
maximum from the hard earned hoard
the taxes gathered in from the sons
of toll. Then they make laws that
will perpetuate their selfish interests
And the farmer-the bone and sinew
of the country-goes on receiving
none of the promised, badly-needed at
tentions. How long will he continue
to thus blindly serve and wait? When
viii he wake TO the fact that he is be-
ing fooled into providing lvihgs for
politicians who call themselves men?
Behold their audacityi They can al
ways provide ways and means to ac-
quire funds to be spent where there is
the opportunity to serve selfish inter-
ests. but when the farmer picks up
courage sufficient to demand that he
be given such an Insignificant thing
as q decent road whereby he may be
enabled to get his products TO market,
/ he too often is met with the thread
/ bare excuse: There is no money for
fixing your road" Then, perchance.
/ they will point out with great show
of pride the macadam roads they
have built for the farmers use. Farm
ers use, the dickensi These pOliti-
clans have automobiles and they must
have roads over which to run them. IL
does not take more than a school boy
of the lower grades to figure out that
these macadam roads are outlined
with a view to provide the politician
with good roads over which he may
whirl his machine in a general tour
of the country that brings him back
to his home.
And look at the men we send to
Dover. For eight days they squabble.
regardless of time or money deciding
what one of their favorites shall go
to Washington. And now they are
getting together to squelch the great
est and most beneiicent proposition
that a citizen has ever offered to his
country-to build an imposing Appian
Way the length of the State and dom
ate it as a gracious gift to the COM
monwealth The greatest benefits of
this grand Way would be derived by
the farmers; therefore, many legis-
lators say it shall not be built. True,
a few farmers have objected tc this
road; but at whose instigation? WHO
told them to object? Did ever a farm
er conscientiously object to good
roads? Is there farm in the coun-
try whose value is not enhanced by
being in proximity to good roads? Let
us look a little into this enigma A
lot of lawyers get together and pre-
vail upon the unfortified farmers to
demand heavy damages from Mr. du-
Pont for the privilege CD of building
his road for, they tell the farmer
Mr. DUPONT is building it for selfish
purposes They assert that soon he
will be selling franchises to railroads
and telephone companies and pipe
line monopolies and will get his
money back three-fOlds. I'VE will
take your claim and get a big slice
out of this millionaire for you" these
lawyers say. "All we ask for our
trouble is one half of the tribute Mr.
DUPONT pays you" And so the innocent
farmer is dragged into their schemes
and is at the same time made in
strumental in cheating himself out OF