The Charlotte Democrat., 1889-06-07
AGRICULTURAL.
Good Roads.

1t 10 the Ooast OF peopie Vi Ino Pie8op
age that it 10 one of enlightenment, clvlll
cation and progress. II closely analY zed,
however, it will appear that this enllght'
enment, civilization and progress, follows
close in the wake of improved facilities
for trane portation. 10 the earlier ages oi
the world, civilization followed the shores
of the sea, for that was the worlds great
highway. s
In the East where travelling was mostly
performed on beasts of burden, a certain
track was pursued and travelling was
done by caravans. At very early
period 10 the history of the East there
were marked out lines of inter-communl-
cation running from land to land and
binding distant nations together. These
lines ran from East to West, that being
the line on which trade and civilization
ran. As population increased. and their
wants enlarged, the demand for I'M
proved roads and modes of transportation
kept pace.
The progress in arts, sciences, commerce
and manufactures demands at the hands
of the present generation:
/. A permanent; sy stem OF public roads.
Q. Permanent improvement OF pubic
roads.
Not only is more rapid transportation,
but cheaper transportation is required.
Competition is so sharp that profits are
too small to permit handling of small
loads. If horse could haul 500 pound
years ago proftably to the producer, he
must now haul 1000 pounds to make 1t
equally as remunerative.
The present style mot system) OF max
ing (?) the public roads is tax without
any benefit. Even if every hand worked
the full limit of the law, fifteen days, no
practical good would result from his
labors. The near approach of court
forces ont the road overseers, and the
road is run over to make.it passable. The
first rain wipes out the work or makes the
road worse than it was before.
The need of the hour is a properly con-
stracted road, on a system that will be
permanent and the improvements put on
it of a permanent character. Why good
roads are needed: We are changing
from big plantations to small farms; from
the all-cotton, expensive system, TO the
diversified crop and intensive system;
from all-credit to all.cash. We need to
sell off part of our land to cut off taxation
on unproductive capital. We need every
facility to get our produce to market ex-
peditiously. Without good roads immi-
grafton is an impossibility; without small
farms diversified crops cannot be success.
fully produced. In order then to get the
immigrant, and introduce the small
farmer on the small farm, good roads are
indispensable. On the score of progress,
thrift. economy and humanity, a perma-
nent system OF permanent improved
roads, is the imperative necessity of the
hour.
Throughout the entire South, deeper
and keener interest than ever before 10
manifested on this important theme. The
public mind is directed very pointedlY in
this direction and cannot be diverted
from it.
The Marietta (Ga.) Journal says:
"Good roads are indispensable to the citi.
zen and farmer in his travels to and from
market with his cotton, wood, and pro-
duce. The present roads are woefully
bad, and there should be system de-
vised by which they should be improved.
Mud holes, wash-outs and high hills al
most render our roads impossible. Good,
solid road beds should be constructed,
and the money 80 spent would be we'll
spent. Good roads enhance the value OF
property and save the wear of vehicles
and enable animals to do better service.
Give as better roads,"
Quite an important factor in the devel-
opment of any section of country, says the
Manufacturers Record of Baltimore, is
its public roads. Good roads are an ad
uorfiaouaapt in thopnaolvos
The public roads of the South need
much improvement, and no time should
be lost in devising effective methods of
bettering their condition. Good
roads pay for themselves in the saving
they effect in the wear and tear of
vehicles and the strain upon draught ami
mails, to say nothing of the advantages to
traffic and the convenience of the travel
ing public. The materials for road-mak-
ing OF the highest order are abuudantly
distributed all over the South, and the
public roads of that section, with good
management, could be made the best in
the country.-Southera Cultivator.