The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-01-31

AuuItsd hdS hGllNtICu Ny WI h' D. Nal-
win, at the Ohio County Farmers lnsti.
tuto, January 20:
The question Of improved roads has
within the last two years become popu-
lar, aud seems to have awakened a gem
eral interest. and hope viii rapidly
assume tangible shape. Ii NECESSITY is
the mother of invention" | think that
our great need in tho matter OF roads
will conspire to bring a speedy aud OF.
fective remedy. For the time has now
fully como when something must he
dono to deliver us from the mud roads
OF u century. American dirt roads are
shame to our ingenuity and 4 disgrace
to our country. "Dirt," says n learned
Englishman, lis matter in the wrong
place." And perhaps most OF us can
easily imagine from our knowledge OF
American dirt roads that the English.
man must have evolved his definition
while viewing an American dirt road.
That tho ancient land marks were
established By tho cOlonidts, and on.
tinued from one generation TO another
is no excuse for their existence to-day.
They could not have had Il rue concop-
ton OF the future development OF our
present America, besides they had
moro important business to attend to
in those days. Good roads were not
quite so important to them, ~ personal
liberty, and they could not have handed
down to succeeding generations Il noblGr
heritage than freedom with mud roads
thrown in. The trouble is the improve
ment OF our highways have not kept
pace with the times. The majority Of
our country roads are in very little bet
ter condition to-day than they were Il
century ago. Is it any wonder then
that tho people are rising in wrath to
blot these autlquated highways out OF
existence?
Tho time has never been moro iavora-
BILE than it Is now TO wage war on bad
roads, and secure prompt and adequate
legislation. lido not believe in besoGch-
ing IL government TO legislatc Tor every
imaginable wrong, but the public high
ways arO far more important tothe pGO-
pie, and consequently the government,
than the water ways, in behalf OF which
there arc annual appropriations oil mil.
lions OF dollars. There Is no use to nib
bic round the question by saying that
roads belong to Il class OF internal inn
provements in which tho government
has very little concern. Tho wise and
brilliant Statesman, Henry Clay, insisted
on the doctrine Of internal improve.
meuts on the part OF tho nation, and
road making in particular. Gen. Roy
Stone says 'our law makers will have
presently to face tho greatest problem
Of their lives; il they turn their backs
on it, the places that know them now
may know them no more forever"
MATrER OF PRIME CONCERN.
1t il no longer a disputed fact that
the roads arc among the prime concern
Of government, and why should our law
makers Ovade the question? It is con-
coded by good authority that tho co.
operation Of the government, with the
states and counties is feasible and praC-
ticable. And why not? How about
the world renowned roads OF Europe
that we hear 30 much about? They
were constructed by the machinery OF
the respective governments, or they
would never have been in existence at
all. True their forms Of government
differ from ours in such a manner. that
for us to obtain the Same results, would
require n little manipulating, but that
might DO easily overcome. What diff
Guilty would there DO in the way oil en-
acting n national road law, whereby
atatcs or countiGsi could secure loans
from the national government at
q very low rate OF interest? The
government could obtain sufficient
money at 3 per cent, and on bonds to
DO issued by tho state, receive 81 per
cent which would meoy tho necessary
expenses; said loans to run 20, 80 or
even 80 years. Yearly payments Of
principal and interest would not y.
coed SCI on every 500. Permanent
highways could thus DO made that
would endure for all time, and q har.
monious system be established, and at
tho same time tho burden on the farm.
ar would gradually grow less. Ia this
case the ]perniCious and costly system
of working out road tax would DO abol.
ished. There is no benefit derived from
such service, and it is therefore praCti.
cally throwing away labor and money.
There has never been Il single milo OF
strictly first class road built by such q
method. II is u thnnklcss task that ~
always disposed OF in tho most shifttcss
manner. This years labor has to be
done over again next year, and so little
benefit being derived, there is no on.
C%ouragoment for painstaking labor.
INJUSTICE TO THE FARMER.
What bettcr right has the farmer to
leave his work in the field, at q season
OF tho year that is the busiest, and labor
upon tho public highway, than tho
business men to leave his Office and
shovel mud in tho street gutter 1t il
demoraliaine to oil enterprise, dograd.
ing to tho state, and treating the citizen
as u criminal whose personal lnDor is
demanded in tho public service. Adopt
system that will DO q credit TO the
citizen, tho state and the nation. Let
tho farmer devote all his timO and
energy in tho push Of his business. Lot
us adopt a wise, judicious and cconomi.
cal system Of internal improvements
assisted by tho government, and tho
farmer can well afford to pay his share
Of the burden, in tho Same way that ho
docs his school tax. II the plan refer.
rod to Is oncc adopted, viz tho co.
operation Of state aud nation, the most
difficult part Of tho problem, which IL
tho financial, will 10 settled,
II would DO impossible 10 raise a
Auflcicnt amount Of money by taxa.
ton TO build substantial ronds In tho
county or state, and moro, 1t would DO
unjust for ono generation to bear all
tho expense. Long timc loans made
through tho government would cQualizc
the burden, and the coming generation