Good Roads For Farmers

The Hon. Norman J. Coleman, I ■ 8, Commlssloner of Agrlcultnre in liis report says: A wise and well-rejjulated uystem of publio ronda and hlghways throughout tlio United Stiltes s daily beCOmltlS il greater necessity tor tlio material development of the resources of' this country, and merits the earnest iittention of Congrega. The conunon roads of tlie country aro the veins and arteries through whlcb Bow the agricultura] prodocOonu and the commercial Sii)plies, whlch are the life-blood of the nation, t those great ducte of travel md transportaron - the railroads of the country. " While mu' railway pystem has becomc the most Derfectln the world, thecomnion roads of Ilie United States have been ïieglected, and are inferior to those of any oilicr clvlltzed country In the world. Thoy are deficiënt In every necessary Qualification tliat is an ittributetoagood road; in dlrection, In slope, in ehape and service, and, most of all, iu want of repair. These deficiencies have resulted not only lïoni an Ignorance of the true principies of road making, but also frotn the Varled systems of road-bullding in force in the several States of the Union, due to defectivo lefiislation. The principie upon wbich the several States have based much of their road legislation is knovvn as the 'road-tax' .-ystcm of personal service and coinniuiation, which is unsound as a principie, unjust in its operations, wastetul in its practice, and unsatisfaclory in iu residís. It is a relie of ieudalism borrowed from the 'statute-labor' of Enghtnd, and its evil results are to-day apparent in the neglected and ill-conditioned cominoii roads uf the country. "It is a questiou of vast importance to the welfare of this nation, that these arteries of agricultural and commercial lile should receive the attention that thuir importance deserves, and that an eftort should be made to reinedy the defects now existing and establish a system that would be made uniform and efficiënt In all the statcs of the union. " By the improvementof these common roads every branch of our agricultural, commercial and manuf&cturlng interests would be materially benelited. Every article brought to market would be dlminished In price; the number of horses necessary as a motive power would be reduced, and by these and other retreuchinents millions of dollar9 would be annually saved to the public. The expense of repairlng roads, and the wear and tear of vehicles and horses would be essentially diniinished, and the thousands of acies 01 land, the producís of whie.li are now wusted ia feeding unoecessary animáis, in order tocarry onthischaracter of transportation, would be devoted to the production of food for the Inhabltanu of the country In fact the public and private advantagea which would result from effect! ng this great object in the iinprovement of our hirliways are Incalculable, not only to the agricultural commmilty as a chis?, but to the whole population, ns a uation, "The government Itself would be benefited in a reduction oí the charge ineumbent upon the transportation of its mails where these roads are used as roads. "I would recoinmend to Conjiress that it would be advisable to provlde for au investigation to be made so that the outlines of a system could be prepared which would be feasible under our present, forms and policies of both general and state governinenl and taxation, to ea'ablisii a unitorm conditiou of public lii;hways." Apropos of Mrs. Clara Harrlson Straua hans hiicriil and appreclated gift of $:", (ou to oiir Uulveislty as a perpetual scholarshlp lund lt would be ïnteresling to know wbat expensesof an education lu the Unlversity such Boholaishlp covers, sluce there are do lees lor tullion. Wnat an excellent Idea lt would be, too, ifsome other woraan as able and liberal as Mrs. Stranahan shonld glve $L,0U0 more, or uu amountsufllcient to lund a wouian's professorshlp tn our Unlversity. If tliere is any other large-hearted and generous womau eoutemplatlni; nuco n gift let lt be large eiioiiiili to brlng a noble cultlvated wonian In oioeer connectlon wlth tbe hundred.s of young women of the Universlty In the class room. Co-educattou Is a succes notwithstandlng the growls of narrowminded pin-headedcrltlcs, and our state Unlversiry, the pioneer lustitution in provldlng lor co-educixilon sliould curry it forward on the broadest scale. Thercis very flnescholHrKiiip duveloping among women lo rit theni lor most honorable places in .the state Unlversity. even. Graud women fllled profes 01ships of JurlRpruaence, of Qreek poeiry, and ;iiiitomy eveu. In the Unlveivltles of italy 200 or 8UU y eara ugo, and of nothlnt; are the great statesmen of Italy more proud of today tlian Of tbla tact In the hlstory of the reat (Jnlversttles Of Bologuaand Padua.- Duiroit. Tribune. The Cotjbieb seconds the obove idea üiat the il:iciüfr of a number of Capable, broad-mlnded women in the faculties would have an elevating tendency on botii SPxe. Ttiis has already been sliown at the (Jolverstty of Michigan wlien Mrs. Stowcll occupied i chair whicli she so ably lilk'd. tSiie had a noble influence over ber stndents, and the institution hen flted largely by her teaching and exumple. A few such talented women ought to be selccted as iustructors and proteseors. As to the statement tliat there are no fees our esteemed contemporary is somewliat in error, since there are matriculatlOD, au ii nal and diploma fees. For Michigan Btudenta they are about $100 for the couise and for non resideuts $175. These are niucli (maller, however, tlian at any other Institución of like chaiacter in the country. Beskles these expences there is board and ]odginr to be paid. amouuting trom $125 to $200 a year. The bcquest is a noble one, iand Mrs. Strannhnn'e example will be folio wed bjothers. The Adrián Press feit so Ückletl over the recent democratie success at Adiian tliiit it devoteit three columns of lts lust edltioD to illustratlng the sltuatlon frotn ts standpoint. The republicans over tliere will probably take good care that tliat mínense supply of cuts are not worn out jy too frequent use. Witli tlie couiplimcnts of Governor üyrua G. Luce, we liave received tlie ian;!some volume entitled "Michigan at Gettysburif.'' It coiitains pictures of the nonuinents erected by tbc state upon the attlefletd of Getlysburfr, tojrtther tli be procecdlnifs incident, to the dedlcatlon of the monument?, and a full report of be Monument Coinmisslon, etc., maklng a bandeóme volume. The Superintendent of Census at Washnjrton is pusbing liis work well, nul tirring up oilioiuls of eities, counties and states to make tbeir reporta promptiy. Po make the returns complete every offl oial should take paius to send as ful] tatémente as po=sible. Tliis counly, for nstance, c:m malte a good showing. as ut he la8tCenna tbere was bonded indebtednessofover Sil.OOO, wblle none Dow exists. Sucb a credltable statement, we lare say, will cODipare fivor.ible witli otber connties, aa we have a fine conrt Hiuse anc'. jail all paid fur.