Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-12-21
The Value OF Good Roads.

The November number Of Good Roads
a magazine dedicated to the cause vi i'm
proved highways, contains brief but per.
| tinen, article BY Hon. j. II. Manley Of tbi.
city. The article Is accompanied by an ex-
cellent half tone cut of the writer. Pre-
ways, Mr.. Manley says;
| The common roads of the country are the
/ one result of governmental creation, IN
which every citizen and every person has a
/ common interest. Next nearest to the PEG
| pie, for the purpose of everyday use comes
| the postal system; but while thousands of
! our inhabitants IN every state have little
| use for the postal system, since they Meth
or receive nor send Communications by the
medium il provides, yet these persons as
| well as the lame the halt, the blind and In
! deed all members Of the human family must
| pass over the common road IL only TO reach
| that last long home that must eventually re-
ceive their mortal bodies. Why, then,
should not Americans have the best road.
| that can be built.
| 1t is iamentablc fact that the common
| highways of the United states are vastly in
| ferior to those of nearly every other countr}
| IN the world. The radical cause of our high
ways lies in the fact that in nearly all thu
states what Is termed road legislation, is
based upon road tax that's, in the rural dis
tricts, the taxpayer works out his taxes by
| labor performed upon the highways; AMI
good roads can never be built by this sys-
| tenn.
| The great Commoner of England, Mr.
Gladstone uttered 4 profound truth when he
| decraed that 1.-THE duties of government
| are parental" The several states should
| by competent legislation. inaugurate a
state system of caring for, repairing and re
! building its common roads.
| The true economy of IA hard roadway sur
| face is recognized in every community
where heavy and constant traffic make these
| toadways al first appear Il necessity, and II"
| city of any considerable size can be foun !
today without substantial exhibit of pave
| streets and smooth. hard roadways.
| We cannot have paved roads for oa'
common highways, but We can have GOO
| Dads, and throughout New England. !
| uo-t instances, we can have maCaiamizr
| -,iaA-.
| The common highways are the arteries
| # agricultural and commercial life. ovel
the public Highway every citizen mus
rAF@i to deposit MS ballot ana eatFtlre VI
| highest privilege "a citizen; and it is tbs
| mty of the state to see TO 1t that thu
| Dads thus used are made "a near perfect rs
| ,o-sible No child receives his education
| nnless he travels TO and from the distric
school. the academy, the city high school
| he college or university, over the common
roads of his locality. Does not. then, tn
educational system of our country demand
perfect roads? A great steamboat iin'
along the winter highways of our country
the grand trunk lines of railways which
| traverse every state. bring increased
prosperity, wealth and higher civilization
What, then. would be the effect, If th'
common roads of our land over which ever!
person has to travel, and by which every
person receives lis mail, and all the neces
| saries of life, and the comforts of home
we're made perfect. We should Away
strive to obtain the best; We should neve'
be satisfied with ANYTHING that is inferior
Those who, in Maine, are called Tho
plain people are deeply interested IN thi'
question. 1t ia, to-day, one of vital import
ance. and the subject should never be lett
at least until we have perfect roads.