CONFERENCE OF GOVERNORS. 97 



that New England stands in the forefront of this great movement. 

 East of the Mississippi River, 153,000 miles of the entire system 

 of improved highways of the country are to be found (and the 

 majority of the improved highways of the country lie in this 

 section), yet only 7 per cent, of the roads of the United States 

 have been improved. Here in New England we have in the six 

 States 88,000 miles of roads, and these 88,000 miles of road have 

 been placed, practically, for direction and education of the people 

 in the hands of only twelve men. The number of miles improved 

 on this system is only 17 per cent. A great question is to be 

 solved. The most important question to be considered, in my 

 judgment, is to try to bring about uniform laws, in so far as a 

 comparison of methods employed is concerned. Hence the value 

 of that splendid paper read here to-day by Commissioner Parker. 

 If that address and the outline so intelligently presented of what 

 is proper to do in highway construction is taken away and dissemi- 

 nated throughout New England, it will work wonders. 



The question arises, with the different conditions by which each 

 State is surrounded, if it is possible to adopt uniform laws, at 

 least just at present, in regard to either the details necessary to 

 bring about the solution of this question, or the conduct of the 

 work in its wider latitude. Much has been done, not only here in 

 New England, but also throughout the country, to take up this 

 proposition of bringing the people nearer together. 



It has taken seventy-eight years to grow our great railroad sys- 

 tems throughout the country, from 23 miles in 1830 to 328,000 

 mUes at the present day. That may seem a vast mileage, but 

 when we come to analyze those figures we find there are only 6% 

 miles of railroad to every 100 square miles of area. It does not 

 Ijegin to take care of the interests of this great people; nor do 

 2,151,000 mUes of road, over which has come that which has 

 helped to grow this great country to the position it now occupies, 

 take care of our interests. 



The telephone, which has grown to be such a necessity and is 

 such a dispatcher of business and such a comfort to have, brings 

 us nearer together. The rural free delivery system that we have, 

 growing in twelve years from 83 to 43,000 routes, with a small 

 appropriation, eleven years ago, increased to $32,000,000, brings 

 us nearer together. And yet all these valuable assistants to inter- 

 communication are only leadings along the lines of that which 

 makes for progress in bringing our people together. 



Here in New England we have a population of over 6,000,000 



