The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1891-11-19
GOOD ROADS.

"O1tntn0fcHs MINI. NOvIABIR 19, 1884,
81 GOOD ROADS. =
We have before us an elegantly
printed and illustl ated brochure en-.
titled, 1.-THE Gospel Of Good Roads, :"
published by the League OF American
Wheelmen. The publication is in
trnded to assist in educating the pub
lie In reference to the evil Of bad roads,
and tho benefits resulting from good
ones. The League of American
Wheelmen Is spending large amount
of money to bring about an era OF
progress in .egxrd to road making.
This movement We regard with strong
approval Good roads indicate higi,
civi:ization-x farther rem"ve from
the age Of shiftltssness aud barbar-
Ism. It Is matter Of surprise that
people whose livelihood and fortune
~ seam most to depend on good ~ruads,
have bee" 80 grudging in tho matter
"f making them. Except in a few To-
c'litits little is done except what hard
NECESSITY c"mprls. We shall welcome
and aid in I'LL efforts to effect u general
and concerted action Of the friends of
this movement,
In circular from T. NJ. Slossom.
Chief Consul for Minnesota Of the
League, he asks the papers of the state
to give portion of their space to the
facts and arguments gathered upon
this subject. The ADVANCE cheer
fully complies With this request. We
have no reason to find fault with the
roads in this region, nor any special
accusation Of neglect in regard to road
making in our county. The roads
here IRE seldom bad, anil when bad
only SO iu few places. But that is
owing to the peculiar soil of Mime
sofa. Yet there has been but little
done, beyond what nature has done.
Many Of our roads have had little in
telligent and effective work done upop
them. There is money for the farmer,
the merchant, aud the manufacturer
in procuring better roads. We shall
therefore lay before our readers. az
our space may permit, from time to
time, some Of the literature furnished
by this )ciety. This week we give
the introductory section of a Letter
to the American Farmer" from Mr..
Isaac B. Potter, as follows:
TO THE AMERICAN FARMER.
In the Il 'ys when the voice Of your
complaint is loud in the land, and a
Thousand partisans are declaiming q
thousand theories to account for the
''decline of agriculture" will try to
write you i letter, in which, believe,
can make it appear that the greatest
remedy for the cure Of Improbable
farming liea in your own hauds...
It isn thahksess, unpopular, and, in
some respects, a discouraging thing to
preach reform, anl the man who
undertakes it for your benefit is en-
titled to your everlasting regard.
am going to make that claim upon you
"nd you will be more ready to square
the account when you knuw that am
opposed to lligl, taxes, ard to the plac-
ing Ut undue burdens upon the farmer,
and that l am only trying to show a
way for the enrichment of your slen-
der purse and the betterment of your
condition.
The man who lives on farm should
be happier for every association of
farm life. 1t is a splendid thing to
breathe pure air, drink pure water ard
have hundred acres Of elbow-room.
Another thing, every farming CON-
munity is community of homes. You
tHve something to be proud Of in that.
II broadens your manhood and makes
you know you have a sacred spot to
love aud defend. 1t makes you good
citizen. and tender husband and
father. l wouldn't give much for the
patriotism of q man whose only iutcr-
est j" the nation can be packed in a
carpet bag. He is not the man for the
times when his country is in peril, and
when the air trembles with the noise
of battle you will 6nd the great bull
wark of defense to he made up of VOL
nnteers from the farm and Gresides.
Most great men have been born in the
country, and no child OF genius ever
yet thrived in a boardinR-house. The
great and successful government is al
ways government of homes.
Aud l want to acknowledge the i'm
portance and grandeur of your voca-
tion. 1t is the prime source of all
national wealth., and, under proper
conditions, it should make you the
happiest and most independent of
mortsls. By the fruits IT your toll
humanity is sustained, and to reward
your industry the Golfers of the world
are open.
But these are the incidents of your
calling. Personally you inherit the
common foibles of the race land you are
not aloof from the errofs nor exempt
from the misfortunes which beset US
all. In all Kindness let me remind you
that In other years you and your good
neighbor have opposed many good i'm.
prOvements which were intended for
our common benefit, and which the
lapse OF time has placed in the highest
inches OF human advancement. You
do not forget that when the 6rst rail-
roads were projected you appeared be-
fore the legislature of your State and
opposed the granting Of franchises to
all such iniQuitous schemes. You
said that the locomotives would burn