Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1888-01-07
Our Public Roads.
Communicated

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condition would hc tame expression, and
TO say there is no remedy but we must
and ought to submit to their present con-
condition, Is worse than saying nothing.
If there is no remedy then let US ask the
Legislature TO give us another road law
by which the serious condition of our
roads may he rcmcdied. But we think
Il would he advisable first TO ascertain
whether new law is really needed, be-
fore we go to the Legislature TO help us
out Of trouble that we have brought upon
ourselves and ought legi,imatcly to suffer
for.
A large proportion Of our community
Is more or less familiar s.s.l, what Is
known as our public road Law, and every
intelligent man. thus informed. knows
equally well tina, great part Of that law
Is ineffective only because It's administra-
tors practically ignore some Of the hes,
and wisest features Of the law. No sen.
siblc man will assert that n law Is inciTcc-
tual until II has had fair trial.
We fail therefore to see any reason
whatever We have for asking the I.cgisla-
turc for any more legislation on the sub.
jec,. For until we improve our manners
little in this direction the Legislature
ought TO pile up act upon act until they
reached the clouds. Unless we make some
effort ourselves We must always go with
soilcd boots, despatched carriages and
broken wagons.
The public roads are certainly Mt this
time in most deplorahlc condition and
very little, IL any. excuse for such state of
things exists for up to the prcscn, time.
this winter We have not had single hard
freeze with It's consequent break up
to thaw open the ground, thus rendering
1t son and susceptible 10 he cut by travel.
II is certainly attribute able as we think. to
the neglect Of those whose business il is
at any rate they are paid for ito see
that the public highway is in the best
condition for travel. We think ii hut n
fair calculation that the had condition of
our roads within the last two months has
cost the farmers Of this community NJ least
one cent additional To get their corn Ia
market.
Not physician in Snow Hill would he
likely 10 venture out ON our roads on n
very dark night To see the sick, although
the patient might need his physicians
immediate presence, in consequence OF the
bad condition Of the county roads.
The tax payers of this county think
they pay enough money To- lave better
roads than we now have hut IL upon n
fair investigation Of the matter il was
shown that the taxes were insufficient to
meet NIL current expenses and keep the
roads in good condition to. Ia doubt they
would willingly submit to another nd.
vance. For 90 years We have been living
on promises. Every new beard of Coun.
~ Commissioners. upon their instalmcnt
in Office, have promised To give Us better
roads hut for 20 years every successive
board in this respect has unintcrruptcdly
graded downward and the Lord only
knows in wha, condition the end of the
next 90 years will find our roads
Now Is there not accuse for all this?
and can II not bc rcmedicd: we believe
the remedy Is within our reach. And we
believe further that the remedy ought io
be applied. Blu, the physician generally
makes his patient sick before he cures
him so ihissubjcct requires heroic treat.
no cure. The first thing is perfect moral
h0ncsty-not political honesty. Some
how-wc need not stop just here 10 in
quire-s0me seem TO believe that when
doing work for the county half days
service should always coun, for
day. And this idea seems TO have pcnc.
tratcd the community-all appear 10 act
and work with the thought uppcrmost.
how little can do for sd much from the
the county.
Now this false impression mus, first he
removed and 10 do So requires both heart
and brain nerve Should our county fathers
adjudgc themselves deficient In these clc.
mcnts Of character then they ought to set
themselves about acquiring them nj once,
In order 90 meet their grave rcsponsihili-
ties
When men are called la tlll offices of
public trust, political partialiiics should be
thrown aside in all their public acts. Poll.
tical fayoriiism-that black curse Of our
national should never for a
moment be tolerated Ofall our county
officials we think our County Commissions
ers should be freed from this cmbarraS-
ment.
Again, the County Commissioners
should demand Of all their appointees aud
all others with whom they have transac.
iions full value In return for every dollar
expended This is not wholly impossible
but unless these official exercise n strict
surveillance over the money expended II
will he quite improbable. But IL thought,
lessness. forgctfulness. or the slightest
tincturc of political iavoritism. enters into
their administration then II Will he inn
possible for them 90 make those demands.
To the new board Of ntycommission.
ers we bow with great respcct-and with