The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1891-12-18
State Aid In Road Improvement.

State Aid In Road improvement.
The agitation during the past few years by
the city and country press, by farmers clubs
and other farmers associations, and even the
discussions at country stores has awakened
deep interest in the subject of road improve
ment all over the State. The result has been
in Hartford county that our dirt roads have
been greatly improved and many places, hith-
erto almost impossible during the greater
part of the year, have been macadamized. At
Darlington and Falls,on road leagues, COM
posed of public-spirited citizens, have done
good work in permanent road Improvement,
but the work is too expensive for individual
effort. No doubt there has been also steady
betterment of public highways in other parts
of the State.
It is evident, from utterances on the sub
ject at every meeting of farmers, that the cit
liens of the counties will not be satisfied to
let the good work cease, and that they de-
mand better roads everywhere in the State.
The subject will be brought prominently be-
fore the next Legislature, which will be call
ed upon to enact road law which will pro-
vide throughout the State, highways well
graded and in good travelling condition win
ter and summer, at the lowest cost to taxpay-
ers.
The expense of constructing and maintain
ing public roads now devolves entirely upon
the people of the several counties, and the
cost of dirt roads is heavy burden, for the
reason that the work done is merely temper
airy, requiring continued OUTLAWS every year.
1t would therefore be matter of economy
to construct stone roads, which would cost
less, year by year, to keep them in order.
The first cost of such roads is too great, how
ever, for any county to undertake alone, and
the State should lend its aid.
1t is by no means necessary to macadamize
all of our public roads. Besides the question
of cost, there are many roads, naturally
smooth and hard. which would be marred by
macadamizing. The main thoroughfares
running through all the counties, however,
should be improved in permanent manner,
and with State aid.
If can be said that country towns are
benefited by good roads leading to them, it
is also true that large cities are likewise ben-
Gifted by facilitating the transportation of
farm products to them, either by rail or by
wagon. Therefore if we could have in every
part of Maryland good hard roads leading TO
county seats, to railroad stations and to other
points where trade is centered or where farm
products are hauled for sale or for transport
tation beyond the county, the State, as a
whole, would share in the benefit resulting
from such good roads. Anything that bene-
fits one portion of the State-that makes its
property more valuable; that facilitates the
transportation of the products of the farm
and the factory TO any market, must enhance
the assessable valuation of all the property in
the State and correspondingly lessen the rate
of taxation.
For this reason the people of the counties
can with propriety appeal to the Legislature
for aid in improving their highways. In
other States and in foreign countries where
public highways are infinitely better than
ours, they are not left to the hsp-hazard sys.
tenn of repair which has existed in Maryland
for century or more. The State government
should recognize the care of public roads-as
1t does our courts and public schools-as part
of its domain and entitled, In some degree, to
It's fostering care.
In the construction of q new and better
system of road Improvement it might not be
wise nor desirable to take the management of
county roads entirely out of the hands of
County Commissioners, who are elected by
the people, nor should the system prevent
farmers directly interested in roads passing
through or alongside of their farms from pro-
viding the unskilled labor necessary to make
and keep them 10 repair. What the counties
need, it seems to us, is a system by which the
county and State shall work conformity, and
that our roads shall be made and repaired
under competent supervision.
The Democrats will be largely in the ma
jority in the coming Legislature and the peo-
pie will look to this majority to take the sub
ject in hand. The Democratic party can in
no better way commend itself to the contin.
ued support of the voters of Maryland than
by 'inaugurating a plan for building and
maintaining macadamized roads wherever
they may be needed in the State.
Maryland has cheap lands, fertile soil and
a delightful climate. Luxuries OF the forest.
the field, the water and the garden are abun-
dant, and on.the broad continent there is not
a plessanter place for country home. All
these advantages, however, count but little
when the condition of our roads is consider
ed. What we need to make Maryland an
earthly paradise is good roads, capable of be-
ing used with comfort by light and heavy
teams at every season Of the year.
Let the counties unite in demanding from
the Legislature a wise road law, which will
combine both State and county interest in
our public thoroughfares.
"A largely attended meeting of prominent