Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1892-04-14
Good Roads.

Let us follow the subject from its
early history. Beginning with Greece,
and following it down to our own
day. No country that had not good
roads, ever led a political existence of
duration and note. Let us now con-
trast the careers of Greece and Rome.
Greece had no roads worthy of the
name, hence, all its operations both
civil and military were constantly re-
tarded. Greece was a rough and
mountainous country, and the inhabi-
tants of the interior having no pass
able highways or roads for the con-
Venienee of travellers or merchants.
the commerce of the interior was sad
ly comprehension its absence. And
in Sparta, no greater brand of odIum
could be placed on a man than to
have 1t said he lived by trading
Hence we see that with roads, the
Spartan spirit would not have laid
dormant as to trade, bat he would
have embraced it as a means Of gain.
But, as 1t was, without roads, there
was nothing to spur them on to trade
and commerce, for it was impossible
to take merchandise over those noun
tains, and hence there was nothing to
prompt men of means or education to
climb those naked crags with yawn-
ing chasm below and walls of rock
above to that fair country. If Sparta
had built roads it would have been
the greatest of the Grecian states.
For then would Phenacan refinement
and education been mingled with
Spartan strength and valor. Little
did Lycurgus think when he laid
down hls iron code that if he had said
Build Roads," that he would have
made Sparta an eastern power that
would have even out-shone the glory
of Rome. Whether the seat of gov
eminent was at Sparta, Athens, or
Teebes, the lack of good roads was
painfully noticeable, and when an in
Vading army began to lay waste to
some distant province, weeks and
sometimes months would elapse be-
fore the army of the capital could ar
rive, thus giving their enemies all the
advantage that time could give them
either to retire or to fortify them
selves. But Rome took a lesson from
her great predecessor, and to the most
distant province were level commod-
ious roads, straight as an eagles flight,
built of solid stone and adamant, bind
ing the most distant province with It's
arms of solid masonery to the heart
core of the nation. What was the eff
feet of this road building? Com
merce sprang up, and travellers came
and went, and education and refine
ment were mingled with the chlyalry,
strength, courage and truth OF the
Romans. And the legions had ''un-
der their eyes" as it were the most
distant state, and always an open road
to return again to Rome with CELEBRITY
and dispatch when called there by
necessity. The roads of Rome are
the secret of its existence for over a
thousand years, while Greece lasted
but three hundred 1t has been said,
take the roads from Rome, and you
have left a wrangling city and a dis
membered country. On down through
the middle ages we trace 1t, and we
find the country with the best roads,
always the ruling power. The scots
and Welch were as brave people as
ever raised a sword and struck for
! liberty. but why then does England
hold them IN buDJ0CLlOnF
Iisb with probably the best roads ID
the world were capable of concen.-
trated action, while the Scotch and
WEIGH having no roads were not, and and
thus England was enabled to strike
nor scattered enemies death blows.
Rnt we must now go down to Amerl-
% The North American Indian had
No roads. and we found him living IN
w wi of skins and ecking out a
bass existence by hunting and fishing,
R F the South American Indians OF
perm had roads crossing mountains
and valleys, and cutting its way along
the side of barren precipices and ex'
tending over a thousand miles. Here
We ind a high grade of civilization
With magnificent cities and temples,
,vhose gold over-howed all the cofers
81 Europe, In the United States We
9e 90 MANY examples of good aud bad
loads. Wherever you see a state OF
district with good roads, you see rich
and prosperous people, and when yor