The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1892-12-02
w. BAKER, Editor.
BEL -ATR, MD

WM H. PAUL, of Webster, is authorized to
receive and collect subscriptions fer The -EG 5.
BEL AIR, MD
RIDAY MORNING DEG. 2, 1882
4 MOFEMENT FOR COOP ROADS. |
The Deer Creek Farmers Club Of |
Hartford county, which ever since its |
organization in 1878 has manifested a |
lively interest in road improvement, |
being assured OF influential co-opera- |
ton has issued call for a State
Road Convention, to be held OH Wed
ncsday, December 18th, at II \. NJ,
in the Hall of the Young MEMS Chris
tan Association Building, corner of
Charles and Saratoga streets, Halti
more.
The chief object OF tie convention
is to organize a State Road League,
with branches in every county, for
the purpose of increasing the interest
already awakened in Maryland in be-
half of good roads and making such
interest effectively felt The conven-
ton, it is expected, will discuss the
various methods of making and mend
ing public roads in the several coun-
ties, but it may be assumed in advance
that no attempt will be made to up
root existing systems, but rather to
suggest improvements tending to
make each system more effective, so
that the best results may be obtained
from the money annually levied for
road improvement 1t is also hoped
that some plan may be suggested by
the convention whereby State aid
may be given to the counties for the
improvement of their public roads.
Representatives of the various agri
cultural societies, farmers clubs,
oranges, road leagues, railroad and
other transportation companies, the
Baltimore city Board of Trade, insti-
buttons of learning, the Maryland
Wheelmen's League, together with
individuals interested, directly or in
directly, in the improvement of the
siuDliC VI OuI ObsllG, lliNC Dctl
invited to be present. The club has
received satisfactory assurances that
the movement will meet with encour-
aSement.
Any inquiries regarding the meet
ing may be addressed to Mr. B. How
ard Hannah, Secretary of the Commit
tee ON Arrangements of the Deer
Greek Farmers Club, Room 26 Fire
mans Insurance Building. Baltimore,
The Baltimore San in expressing approval
of the movement says:
The action of the Deer Creek Farmers
Club, Of Hartford, in calling State road con-
Vention is in the same line of practical reform
as the Governors call for gathering of re-
preventative men to discuss tax methods.
The subject is one of the utmost Importance
to the welfare and progress of the State.
Some two millions of dollars are levied upon
the taxpayers Of Maryland every ten years
for the purposes ofrepairing roads and bridges
IN the counties, and the question that will be
discussed by the proposed convention is
whether some method cannot be devised
which Will bring better results. Year after
year the peoples money is spent on the roads
and the roads get no better. There is some
thing wrong which should be righted, and the
best way to right it is probably just the
method which the intelligent farmers of Har-
ford county have suggested. The time and
attention OF the Legislature of the State is
unfortunately so largely given up to politics
ard the election of political officials that but
little time is left for the calm and proper dis
cussion of economic subjects This fact has
been recognized by the Governor in calling
for body to formulate an assessment law in
advance of the meeting of the Assembly, so as
to have it ready at the beginning of the SEES
sion.
The road question is one which presents
fewer difficulties and is of transcendent i'm
portance. Where good roads have been tried
they have proved to be good investment in
every respect. The value of property is al
ways greatly enhanced by them, aud so the
assessable basis of taxable property S greatly
augmented. Good roads invite the immigra-
ton of men with capital prepared to buy
property, and bad roads absolutely repel it.
No man with his wits about him will pay as
much for farm situated where the farmer is
mud-bound for three months in the year and
absolutely unable to move his crops to market
during the time when there is no farm work
to be done and when, perhaps, the best prices
are to be obtained he will for the same
farm on a good road. Nor is this ALL One
horse can haul as heavy load over a hard
road as two or three can pull through the
mud One great fact which the people of the
country do not appear to understand is that
roadmaking is science which must be learn
ed and understood before it can be practiced
with success.
Wherever scientific men have been employ
ed on wagon roads, the results have justified
it, Politics has been the upas tree which
has blighted this branch of the public service
as it has so many others. Men are employed
in roadmaking, not because of their special
fitness or knowledge, but because of their poll
tics and this proposed convention, which is
Itself the result of campaign of education
which has been going on in this and other
paar mr. Tnnr iS 1acif mad fe
understood, to remedy this along with the
other defects of the prevailing methods The
money paid for mending the roads, the vast
sum which has already been mentioned goes
for placing quantity of silt or loan in the
roads to be washed into the bitches by the |
next rain. In many of the counties of tn.
State nature has provided an abundance OF |
stone, the best of all materials for making |
good roads, and as general thing it is moi
utilized. 1t is proposed that the convention |
shall consider the proper application of the |
money now levied for the roads, and also GER |
tain suggestions which have been made for |
Increasing the amount of money for this eX |
pcnditure. There several sources from |
which revenue mil ht be derived, all of which |
the convention will probably discuss. But |
tine most important subject will be the man
rer of utilizing to the best advantage the |
present expenditures. II the people OF the |
State will enter heartily into the spirit of this |
movement good results may with confidence |
VIII be at least starting point for the people |
to discuss and from which the Legislature
can arrive at final action. An object-lesso |
from Hartford county will be presented. A |
road league OF farmers in that county has |
= ken charge of fifteen miles of roads and has
much improved them without any increase in
expenditures. Cooperating with the farmers.
VINO are the men principally interested in
good roads, will be the bicycle men and vari-
oIs organizations in the State. In some |
PAGES railroad companies have assisted, both
il money and in intelligent supervision, in
the repair of roads leading to their stations,
ard it is doubtless to their best interest to do |
so in order at least to secure more uniform !
movement of produce. The whole State is |
interested in the matter, and the call of the |
convention is another popular movement in
the line of true and beneficial reform.
Some of the manufacturers, imme-
diately after the election, took very
respondent view of the situation and
talked of closing their mills and sell
ing out. Now, it seems, they have
taken courage and are not afraid that !
business of all kinds will go to smash
because Cleveland has been elected |
Indeed, as the Dry Goods EnOnOmiSt
says, they still believe their mills and
machinery are worth 100 cents on the
dollar. AT any rate, none of them is
willing to sell out at a low price.
The Aberdeen Enterprise, which
was temporarily discontinued by ir-