The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1892-12-10
The QUESTION OF THE HOUR.
Good Roads Agitation Awakening Popu
lar Interest in the Subject,

| Good Roads Agitation Awakening Popu-
lar Interest in the Subject.
The cause of good roads goes march
ing on. There is no politics in it, conse-
quently when people get tired of discuss
| ing the presidential canvass in all Of the
sharp disagreements which that exercise
implies, they can get together and re.
lieve the strain, Republicans, Democrats
and the rest, on the good road issue. It
took the average American who is
nothing If not good natured, patient and
long suffering-many years to appreciate
that his country was cursed by its roads.
| But now that he has a realizing sense Of
that vital fact, he is resolutely bent upon
radically reforming them. From all
! parts Of the country come reports Of
movements Of greater or less Importance
having for their object the building of
roads upon scientific system, upon
system which will secure roads Of per-
manent value, roads which will contrib
ute to the advancement of the common
prosperity. Colonel 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 transportation by
saving time, reducing the wear of draft
animals and of vehicles, and thus lessen
the cost of material to the producer and
consumer. The modern development of
'slums,' the wretched outcome of life in
tenement houses, can be laid largely to
the bad roads existing in the farming
districts, which in certain seasons of the
year prevent social intercourse, making
country life cheerless, isolated and mar
row."
One of the interesting results of the
awakened popular interest in roads is the
pending proposition to establish special
department of roadbuilding at the ap-
preaching Worlds fair. The intention
is to give the thousands upon thousands
of Americans who will attend the fair
an object lesson in roadbuilding, the
lesson being REINFORCED by an exhibit
of roadmaking machinery, which once
learned they will reduce to practice in
their respective commonwealths. Not
a few thoughtful and experienced men
who have turned their attention to the |
road problem are inclined to believe that |
its solution is largely conditioned upon |
the cooperation 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 con-
gress were passed after full discussion |
Of the constitutional questions involved |
for the construction and repair of natural |
roads, while of late years, however,
nothing has been done at Washington
for roads and practically nothing by
state or local authorities.
The suggestion for federal aid has tax
en- shape in a bill which provides for the
appointment of a national highway COM
mission. This commission is to consider
the feasibility of cooperation by. nation.
al, state and county authorities in gen
eral system of road construction; to de-
wise and formulate plans for the estab-
lishment of national school of roads
and bridges; to procure the exhibition at
the World s fair of the best methods and
appliances for roadmaking, and to pro-
vide for practical instruction in the art
free of cost, and collect and disseminate
general information regarding roads and
their improvement. There are num-
ber of other provisions in the bill, but
these are its main features.
The measure, so far as its general prin-
ciples are concerned, has, as we have
stated, many level headed hackers. And
even those who question its feasibility
may well 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 revolutions which never go
backward, and which ought to go for
ward so dominated by common sense as
ultimately to give the country a system |
IF roads which shall prove a great bless
ing to our countrymen and help Uncle
sam to achieve his manifest destiny
New York Tribune.