Crittenden record-press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1909-191?, 1916-03-02
COUNTRY MORE ATTRACTIVE
Back to the Country" Problem viii
Never BE- Solved Until the Country
is' Made More AttractIve-Bulid
Roads and You win Lose None Of
the Sweetness Of the Farm.

BOD McDryde, LOT MS very KIM
reference to me We should all be
grateful to him for his years OF
tireless. patient and unrequited toll
IN behalf Of this great movement,
without expecting, without receiving,
any other recompense than the graft
tude of his Counlrymen and the wei.
fare Of his country With tongue ana
pen he has presented with marked
ability every reason which can be as
signed for this great work, and he has
answered every objection which the
ignorant or penurious might advance.
The people Of Kentucky have yet to
learn the debt they owe this great
journalist for great work nobly done.
am not here today 10 attempt to
entertain you with anything that APP
proachcs a formal address ! am not
here 10 make a speech. II am elected
Governor OF Kentucky. my time VIII
not be given to saying things, but to
doing them. Npplausel This Is In
Us. .essGnce a matter. 81 business as
well ~ sentiment, and 10 the fiscal
side Of this problem shall In the
main address my few remarks
You cannot build roads. however
advisable II may be-. without money
To say that you are ~ favor OF good
roads is like saying you are IN favor
OF good health. or good morals, good
atmosphere, good looks. or good any
thing else. Nobody not driyeling
fool favors good roads just rs he IA
yors good health. or good weather
We all favor good roads who have
sense enough TO travel over them
The question is. not whether It is de
sirable TO have better highways II
Kentucky. but how we shall Obtain
them. We all want them II We cal
afford them. because We must buy an'
pay for these roads ourselves. w
VIII receive some aid from the Fed
eral Government. but the Federal Gov
ernment and the State Government
alike tax the people for the money, s.
at least every dollar that is put II
good roads comes directly or Indirect
ly out OF the pockets OF the peopl
who enjoy them. Then the question
to which an intelligent citizenship
should first address Itself is, not shall
we donate. but should We invest tn
money toward this good work?
you 20 out TO get money TO build goo,
roads on the same principle that yo
30 TO get money to educate the CHI
nese. or save the heather, you vii
not build many miles or road To &c
this money. you must In a way. TAX
II from the people with their consent
by taxation. But the people are no
going to tax themselves to build tn
roads unless they are convinced tina
Il Is a good investment. And wher
ever the people find that they ar
making money by expending none
upon the roads you will get the none
Just as quickly as YOU would secure
from farmer you have convince
that he would make money by buyin
m addition Ct 1000 acres to his farm
that Is for sale nearby. There Is n
trouble 10 induce men TO spend none
} where they are certain or REASONABLE
certain OF a safe return. How Is tn
expenditure Of many thousands OF do
lars for good roads a safe Investment
Money and Results.
| am separating II from Its mort
and aesthetic. its sentimental side.
am taking to you abou, the prophet
OF expendlng money for roads as
would talk to farmer about th
spending o, money for land. AS
would talk 10 the manufacturer OF N
proprlety OF spending money for mi
chlnery As | would talk to the min
owner for spending money for a III
, pie. or an option upon so many acre
OF coal land. A great mistake thu
farmers have made Is in not making
business.like calculation as 10 the col
of production, which bears dire
, relation TO the advisability OF co
4 structing good roads. A short tin
4 ago Charles l.. Sohwab. former pres
dent OF the United States Steel Co
, poratlon and now president OF q
bethlehem corporation. the most gii
ed of all the great industrial maste
; of finance. made this startling stat
ment; "Onethird OF the cost OF q
production OF all steel products Is q
cause OF transportation and one
the secrets Of Schwab's phenomen
success was that he never calculate
> the cost OF anything made OF ste
from a needle to thousand tons
= armor plates, that he did not calcula
|. the cost of laying II down +, o.
10 the conslgnee. The farmer do
moi calculate. lie calculates the co
OF the production In a rough way,
taking cost of the land, taxes, labc
and tools. When he calculated VIII
Il cost him to get in fifty bushels
wheat on his wagon or q thousai
bushels OF corn In his bin complet
his calculation. But he has not es
:, mated the cost OF that article to
entirety, for no man comes TO his b
for corn or to the thresher for b
4 grain. Until he has calculated q
v cost OF transportation he has not ma
an accurate estimate OF the cost
production. What Is the actual val
p 4 a free public highway Lot