: ipoiary. Their present condition is aotinly and a reproach to us as 
_ people, which should not be suffered to continue. 
a i regret to observe that several of our newspapers refer to the 
earnest recommendations of our chief executive in behalf of the 
improvement of our roads as “the pet scheme of the Governor.” 
‘Now, in what I have to say to-day, I desire to avoid any suspicion 
of politics, while recognizing the fact that everything that has to do 
with production and consumption is a question inevitably of political 
Rk economy. But, in reference to this matter of roads, it seems to me 
that it shculd be for the future “the pet scheme” of every man, 
whether Democrat, Republican or mugwump, and of every woman and 
child also, until some action shall be taken looking to their permanent 
stretch of macadamized road nine miles in length, which within two 
_ years has been laid in one. of the New England States, and I could not 
put think that such a road, like a thing of beauty, was a joy forever. 
Consider for a moment the enormous tax which our roads involve, 
without considering even the millions upon millions of dollars which 
during the past half century have been expended upon our roads 
without at present any evidence of improvement in their condition; 
consider the wear and tear of horses, harnesses and vehicles which 
the condition of our roads for months in the year involves; consider 
the loss of time, which also is money, and the wear and tear upon 
one’s patience, for I doubt whether grace has been given to any 
sufficient to sustain him for a ten-mile drive: over any of our roads 
during several months of the year. 
- I should like to have spoken of the money value of the beautiful 
about us, in trees and lawns and flowers. Do not your judges one 
and all give their prizes, other things being equal, always to that 
which is most beautiful. What. piece of property animate or inani- 
mate is not enhanced by possessing the elements of beauty ? 
Never was there a time when those words of Job ard Solomon— 
_'«The price of wisdom is above rubies,” and “how much better is 
wisdom than gold ”—were so true as to-day. “ Knowledge is power” 
not only, but it is wealth. 
+ As I would urge upon the farmer that he cultivate his fields, 
rather than to abandon them to weeds and brambles, so would I 
urge upon them, especially the young men, that they cultivate their 
minds and fill them with lofty thoughts, for no mind can long remain 
quite empty, but like an untenanted house, rats and bats and owls 
improvement. Within a week I had the pleasure of riding over a 
