The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1892-12-01
ROAD IMPROVEMENT.
Good Roads Agitation Awakening
Popular Interest in the
Suhiacf

subject,
The cause Of good roads goe
marching on. There is no polite
IN it. 1t took the average Ameri
can--who is nothing if not goot
natured, patient and long suffering
many years to appreciate tina
his country was cursed by IT'S roads
But now that he has realizing
sense of that vital fact, he is reso
lutely bent upon radically reform,
ing them. From all parts of the
country come reports of movements
of greater or less Importance hay.
ing for their object the building OF
roads upon a scientific system, up
on system which will secure roads
of permanent value, roads which
will contribute to the advancement
Of the common prosperity. Colo
mel Albert A. Pope, who is heartily
enlisted IN the cause of good roads
does not express himself too
strongly when he says that Good
roads cheaper the cost of transpor-
tation by savingstime, reducing the
wear of draft animals and of vehi-
cles, and thus lessons the cost of
material to the producer and con-
sumner. Ths modern development
of Sums the wretched out come
of life in tenement houses. can be
laid largely to the bad roads exist
ing in the farming districts. which
in certain seasons of the year pre-
vent social intercourse, making
country life cherries, isolated and
narrow"
One of the interesting results of
the awakened popular interest in
roads is the pending proposition to
establish special department in
road building at the approaching
Worlds Fair. The intention is to
give the thousands upon thousands
of Americans who will attend the
fair an object lesson in oadbuild-
ing, the lesson beng REINFORCED
by an exhibit of road making ma
chinery, which once learned they
will reduce to practice in their re-
spective commonwealth. Not a
few thoughtful and experienced
men who have turned their atten-
ton to the road problem are in
clined to believe that its solution il
largely conditioned upon the CO.
operation of the national govern
ment. Those who hold to this
view point out that in the early
part of the century no less than
sixty acts of congress were passed
after full discussion of the con-
stitutional questions involved for
the construction and repair of ma
tional roads, while of late years,
however, nothing has been done at
Washington for roads and practi-
cally nothing by state or local au-
thorities.
The suggestion for federal aid
has taken shape in bill which
provides for the appointment of a
national highway commission.
This commission IS to consider the
feasibility of cooperation by ma
tional, state and county authorities
in a general system of road con-
to deyise and formulate
plans for the establishment of a
national school of roads and bridges;
20 procure the exhibition at the
Worlds fair of the best methods
md appliances for roadmaking, land
% provide for practical instruction
n the art free Of cost, and collect
md disseminate general informa-
ion regarding roads and their i'm
There are a number
If other provisions in the bill, but
here are tie main features.
The measure, so far as it's gen
,ral principles are concerned, has,
rs we have stated, many level
headed hackers. And even those
who question its feasibility may
we'll accord it a welcome, since
necessarily it will lead to that full
and free discussion of the general
subject of roadmaking which ought
to precede any final determination.
This IS one Of those peaceful revo-
Iutions which never 60 backward,
and which ought to 60 forward so
dominated by common sense as
ultimately to give the country a
system Of roads which shall prove a
great blessing to our countrymen
and help Uncle Sam to achieve his
- .@no& lnck.-. NJ vi, r..