522 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Several miles of road in this county are too narrow, and neither grade 

 or roadbed has been made, and the ditches and culverts are entirely too 

 small to carry the water. 



Now while we favor taxing vehicles to raise the money, and having a 

 Township Superintendent to use it, it is not liliely that this plan will be 

 adopted soon, and possibly never, so we must battle with the situation 

 just as we have it, not as we would lilie to have it. 



GOOD ROADS. 



JAMES R. GUILD, OF MEDARYVILLE, IND. 



[Read before Pulaski County Farmers' Institute.] 



Gentlemen— It gives me great pleasure to introduce a question for con- 

 sideration of this convention of farmers and those interested in the farm- 

 ing interests of this part of the great State of Indiana, and we are all 

 interested, regardless of vocation or calling (as every honest dollar comes 

 from the earth, as every dollar is a material something and must come 

 from somewhere, and it must come from the products of the earth, the 

 soil, mines, etc.). There is no question today of such vast importance, or 

 in which the people universally are interested so much as good roads. At 

 the national convention held in Chicago, where more than thirty States 

 were represented, the chairman, Mr. John B. Walker, of New Yorlv, said 

 in his opening speech, that this is by far the biggest question or problem 

 before the countr-y. and a question that needs immediate and serious at- 

 tention, and showed by figures that the people of the United States lost 

 annually $900,000,000 because of the bad condition of the roads throughout 

 the country. At this convention there was a text of resolutions introduced 

 that I beg the indulgence of this convention to permit me to read, Avhich 

 to my mind are along the practical lines. They are as follows: 



Whereas, The annual loss to the nation through bad roads, amounting 

 to hundreds of millions, constitutes today the most important economic 

 question before the American people, and 



Whereas, It is inevitable that the raral free postal delivery will soon 

 be universal in this country, and these deliveries will necessitate the best 

 of public highways; therefore, be it 



Resolved, That the Senate and House of Representatives be petitioned 

 by this convention for an appropriation of $20,000,000 for highway con- 

 struction, to be assigned to the several States and Territories which shall 

 appropriate amounts equal to their assignments. This in order that each 

 State and Territory shall have examples of the best roadway constructed 

 under the supervision of government engineers. 



Resolved, That this convention commend to the country at large the 

 example of Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York and New Jersey in 



