The record-union., 1892-10-31
rumor to the contrary can be safely
branded as lie.
YOUNG MEN AND GOOD Ro ADS.

The RECoRD-UNIoN is gratified to OBJ
serve that the young men of this COM
munity are beginning to manifest lively
interest in the very broad and interesting
questions relating to good country roads.
One OF the more active of the young men
assures US that there is very deep and
widespread interest felt among young
business men upon the subject, and that
there is reason to hope for some very
open and orderly expressions upon the
question from that direction soon.
Let us hope that it will be very soon.
The bicycle, the cheapness of the good
horse, the delights of driving, have had a
great deal to do with the natter but, out
side of these, business reasons for inaug-
urating good road campaign are in
Vulnerable.
The good road conserves trade. With
out easy and good approaches business
town is walled in. With good roads
rural life is made more pleasurable and
there will be less of drift to life in town.
With good roads there is great saving
in horsefesh, III wear and tear of vehicles,
in time in traversing the roads, of money
because of saving of time, steed and We
hicle. The lessened strain upon the horse
cheapens his keeping, reduces the cost of
repairs to wagons and buggies, and saves
to the user of the roads money in en-
abling him to haul heavier loads and to
get them to and from market more speed
lily. To go on and catalogue the reasons
for good roads is, in short, to recount all
reasons for living well, economically and
happily in town and in country alike.
One of the best signs of the times Is
that over nearly all the Union this road
agitation is simultaneous. 1t appears to
have broken out about the same time in
Maine that it was manifest in Ohio and
was heard of in Mississippi: it became
foremost question quite as soon in Iowa
as in New York. 1t appears to have
The road question involves not only the
matter of bringing the people to agree
ment to economic by road improvement,
but the means to the end. Thus, the
magazines and literature on good roads
dwell profoundly upon the kinds of
roads, the resistance to wheels of this,
that, and the other surfacing; the width
Of tires; the diameter of wheels; the con-
struction of culverts; the building of road
superstructures; the proper surfacing of
roads; the making of streets, paving,
crosswalks, guttering, drainage, curbing,
etc. In fact, the details involved in the
study Of good road' literature are almost
lmitless.
Let us hope that the young men of Sac
ramento will enter upon the good road
agitation with earnestness and dogged
persistency. They must make up their
minds to meet with opposition; they must
ness; that it is to be a labor Of time and
persistence. But if it is conducted with
dignity, firmness and perseverance it
will win. Young manhood's energy put
forth in this direction can give Sacra-
mento County within two years great
many more miles of good roads than it
now has, and in five years ought to effect
a complete revolution in road building in
this section.
Our idea is that the people have never
thought sufficiently upon the subject;
that they have not had the facts laid be-
fore them with sufficient clearness and
force; that they do not realize, for in
stance, that the difference between a
round and an angular stone upon a road
surface materially affects land value,
farm production, market prices, cost of
stock maintenance, taxes, real and per-
sonal, social conditions, educational adj
vantages, health, longevity and, who
knows, perhaps eternal happiness.
MEAN nEVTCES