11 



where we now are, was produced, at great profit, a sample of syrup 

 as good or better than any sold in the State of New York. 



I should like to have said something about our roads and high- 

 ways but I forbear only observing that probably no civilized and 

 few uncivilized countries have roads so poor as ours. While in 

 many and most things we have as a people made enormous strides 

 in advance and are the wonder of the world for our achievements, 

 no progress has been made in the matter of our common roads for 

 half century. Their present condition is anomaly and a reproach 

 to us as people, which should not be suffered to continue. 



, 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 economy. But in reference to this matter of roads, it 

 seems to me that it should 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 improvement. Within a week I had 

 the pleasure of riding over a 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 but 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 pres- 

 ent any evidence of improvement in their condition ; consider 

 the wear and tear of horses, harnesses and vehicles which the con- 

 dition 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 mqnths 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 



