The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1913-10-15
FARMERS BENEFIT
BY Good ROADS
Agricultural Committee Urges
Them TO Pass Loan.
TELL OF THE ADVANTAGES

to Hire Teams and Sell Material to
Road Builders.
Prominent agriculturists everywhere
are supporting the $50,000,OOO good
roads loan to be voted upon at the
November elections, but there are no
stronger advocates of highway i'm
provements for Pennsylvania than the
committee from this state appointed
by act of the legislature to cooperate
with the Permanent American Com
mission on Agriculture and Rural Lille,
a national body that stands for the
very best there is in country life in
the United States.
The Pennsylvania committee has
thought so well of the loan that at a
recent meeting called for the purpose
it issued the following appeal to the
farmers of the state:
To the Farmers and Other Rural Citi'
zens of Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania committee a.
pointed to cooperate with the 'PeriLa'
nent American Commission on Agr .
culture, Finance, Production, Dlstrl-u u
ion and Rural Life" in session at tns
state capitol at the call OF the ch air
man of said committee, desires le'
spectfully to call the attention OF the
people of the state to the fact that nc
greater factor can enter into The I'M
portant work of placing the agllcu.'
ture of our state upon prohtaDle pa
sis than 2 well-arranged system oil
good public roads.
The opportunity is now before the
voters of the state to say whether they
are willing that the hopeful beginning
made in the direction OF road improve
ment shall end or whether our sta,e
which in the importance and value o.
its products stands among the nrSi
i'm the Union, shall carry this
work forward until our public hlgh,
ways and methods of rural travel and
transportation shall equal any TO b.
found in our own country or any OF the
countries of the old world
At the coming general election the
voters of the state will say whether OF
not the proposed amendment to our
state constitution, making II possible
for the next general assembly to pro.
vide for a loan of S5O,OOO,OOO to be
used in the construction and malnte.
nance of a complete system of higl'
ways shall be adopted, and every citi'
zen should consider carefully the
effect of his vote upon the general
prosperity of the commonweal h and
the individual interests of the people
of the present generation as well as
the generations to follow.
If the proposed amendment is voted
down no opportunity will be afforded
for the correction of the mistake fCr
such we must regard it) for at least
five years, as the state constitution
provides that no amendments relating
to the same subject shall be submit.
ted oftener than once in five years"
1t is hoped that voters, in making
up their minds, will give thoughtful
consideration to the following PROPOSE
tions which we believe to be correct:
/. The proposed amendment does
not settle the question as to whether
or not the loan is to be secured, but
simply makes it possible for the next
legislature to consider the quest on
and provide the terms upon which such
loan, if made, shall be negotiated in
Guiding the dates at which bonds shall
be issued, the time of their maturity.
the interest they shall bear and the
periods during which the work prOyid.
ed for by each bond issue shall be
performed, so that instead of the en-
tire work contemplated being under
taken at once, it may be so extended
as to secure the best possible results.
2. The vote will be essentially non
partisan, as the proposed work will be
arranged and carried ont by what
ever party the people of the common.
wealth may from time to time place in
power.
8. The establishment of a system OF
good roads will not only help the far
mer by providing means of relChine
his market with most ease and least
cost, but it Eill relieve him of a con
siderable portion of the local taxes he
now pays. The state has already talk.
en- over, and is now maintaining at
state expense, as best 1t can with the
small amount of money that can be an
piled to this work, about 5000 miles of
road, which will be increased as the
work is carried forward, relieving the
local taxpayers of much OF the burden
they are now bearing.
4. As the work of road Improvement
goes forward material needed will be
taken from adjacent lands and quar-
ries, for which fair compensation viii
be made, teams will be needed in grad
ing and in hauling material from quar-.
ries and railroad stations to the points
where used, and labOrers and mechan
les will be employed in the construc
tion work, so that farmers will find
profitable work for their teams when
not needed on the farm. labor of all
kinds will be in demand at good wages
promptly paid. and a ready market will
be brought to the doors of the people OF
the sections through which the roads
pass for food supplies for men and
teams, all of which means that a large
proportion of the money expended will
20 directly into the hands of the peO
1, ,1 4 tot, igtg a
3. Community industries ami coop
erative associations helpful to farm
ers and rural districts will be promot
ed. Better roads means better eduCa
tional facilities for the rural distric
for with good roads we nay look for
consolidation and complete grading Of
the rural schools
G. Social conditions in country dis
tricts will be greatly improved and the
country church will enjoy a like De
gree of prosperity when wOrshipper-
can assemble without fear Of being
wrecked or their carriages being sunk
in the mud on the way.
Time would fail should we attempt
to enumerate all the blessings that
will come to our beloved common.
wealth with the establ shment OF a
good system of road, and we trus
that the motives which prompt us tC
issue this circular in the performance
of the work belonging TO the commi'
tee, upon which we are serving Tn
rural interests Of the state, will no
be misunderstood
r. l.. Munce, Canonsburg, Washington
County, Pa.
A. l.. Martin, Ehon Valley, Lawren"e
County, Pa.
N. b. Critchfald, Stoyestown, Somer
set County, Pa
George G. Hutchinson, Warriors Mark