Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1892-04-22
THE FARMERS BURDEN.
Bad Roads Responsible for Good Deal

TO live cents u bushel, decrease by that
amount the profits of the farmer and
proportionately lower the value of his
land as an investment, great cry of
remonstrance would go up from every
quarter of the country. Yet the farmer
bears without thinking just such bur
len in the shape of ordinary highways
Shat make the transport of his grain to
he nearest market point "A tedious and
costly job.
And this burden is not one that may
be lifted by the competition of railroads
or other corporations. 1t will rest upon
him just us long as he fails to Join the
agitation for highway improvement.
There is no subject on which it would
profit the agriculturist more to bring to
bear the whole power of his influence
and that of the associations to which he
may belong. There is none to which he
has shown more complete Indifference.
1t is only lately that general interest
has been awakened in the Improvement
Of country roads. But what has been
actually done in few counties shows
what the whole country might do for
itself if it chose. A professorship has
been established in one of our colleges.
and much valuable matter is being col
lected by those who have made study
OF the question. The best of this Is con-
tributed by Mr.. Isaac B. Potter, whose
recent work on the subject is followed
by an article in the latest issue of The
Forum, in which he appeals to the self
interest of the people to provide them
with good country roads.
AS Mr.. Potter says, "With the enlarge
ment of concentric circles surrounding
every American inland town is to be
found an apparently undue diminution
Of agricultural population. wealth and
thrift" While railroads and canals
have multiplied, and freight rates have
been reduced to figure undreamed of a
few year ago. the dirt road, that only
avenue of communication which con-
meets the farmer socially and CONNER
cially with the world at large. is the same
road that was used hundred centuries
ago by the naked savage when chased
by storm to the sheltering cave"
No better statement of its Importance
and its average condition than that of
~, O''ei can NC SNen' -he"9uriiiS
million miles or more in its various
qualifications, dissolving in the rains of
April, baking and pulverizing beneath
the rays of the midsummer sun, drifting
a.iu disappearing III the WIiiriWih'is ol
November anu presenting 't All umes
but little more than Il rOughened streak
of soil to serve as Il land highway for
liie great Noiulhe Vi INTERNAL triiinc' tle
'iiiio eee'il9 I" nave c"'"e "hvi ,ic
American common roau may rl9htluily
assert llsell as the most expensive ana
oy all odus lhe most eAlfaVagahtly
in"lHtaiilc" Oh al tne l'Diic ln9'ilu-
u'9lS'
nc Co'lt-' i4'' "a '''I OItaJ oi as
culture lAe "o'h"oHti4en' Oh farms III
many communities anu tlle chi'r5e VI Il
so" n re4'4'1 94p",A III prosperity lor
'.i5 i'uiN'T ''''H al 't r'ie,'c"' III con-
We ,r''.'' ID l,,r cohileloh Oh our
country Ai''!N"HS' Inc lralIic carrlrd
Oh over mem eAcee''S VASTLY tiie lrciSn'
tonnage OF al our r"llroa.tS coilpllleu'
YET lHlS mas 10 DC carried uhder diih-
c"ltieS ana at ii cost Wnich increases I'M
"iei'clS 'ile CoSl VI ANin8 10 tlie COIL
sumner Wnile 'ley s'rlp the producer OF
illoSV Oh MS rl9ntlui pront' Inc uliler-
ehce between tiie transport Oh country
produce over eAlstliiS roaus ana lts car
mage over s"cii IO''os "S are 10 DC lounu
Ill Ehgianu anu rance Is Inference Oh
tens propaoly Oh hunureuS Oh mililons
OF collars every year ana thlS Is only
one size Oh the question: lor' III auuilloh
10 the arguiheht lro" economy lhere Is
the social arSuiiehl.
Nothlng conlrlDutes so much 10 make
the FARMER HE barren OF interest," to
heip along tiie arlit OF popuia.lon 10 u
citles, 10 chahge lhe Ola dcilSht IN rurai
NE htoa dread Oh IL as an uhpearaDie ISL
latioh' as the cohoitloli Vi us avenues Oi
communication wmch practicaily shu'
up the lhhaoi'aiits OF the larm uufihs
several months OF the year. ana mos
just the months wheh they nave mos
leisure tor refreshing outings TO the
routine and confinement OF the farm
ITSELF Inc country MShway Is the great