The record-union., 1893-08-11
A VITAL QUESTION.

The Oakland Tribune declares that the
coming State Road Convention involves
questions which lie probably nearer to
the prosperity of the people than any
other of local character. This is true.
AS our contemporary well says:
1t touches the pockets of the producer as
directly as ii does the consumers purse; the
resident of the city has the same inter- st in
good roads does the farmer, for the char
acter of the country highways must always
have a direct bearing upon the price of farm
products and city markets.
Right here, however, is where a large
number of agriculturists part company
with good road agitators. They insist
that country roads are the concern of
country people only, while the townsfolk
should center their interest upon streets.
If, say these objectors. all property and
people should bear the expense of road
making, then we of the country may as
well be called upon to bear share of the
cost of street-making, for we use the
streets, too.
The tallacy of this argument is too ap-
Municipalities are extra jurisdictional
affairs. People erect them solely for
their own, not general convenience.
But roads are matters of State and gem
eral concern. The municipal dweller
can not and never has called upon any
one outside his city to aid in street work;
but in the matter of country roads it is
very different. They are arteries of
communication and transportation be-
tween the several sections OF the State.
II is time enough for our friends to take
on fear when townspeople ask them to
help build the city streets
The Tribune thus continues:
What good roads can accomplish for COM
munity or Il commonwealth need not te left
10 CONJECTURE The Inauguration of an era of
road building in certain parts of New York,
New Jersey and Pennsylvania has resulted in
wonderful appreciation of values in realty
and general urban prosperity. Whole dis
tricts which have been almost deserted have
taken a leap forward. Farms that were
abandoned have been again occupied, and Il
solid condition OF active prosperity in every
instance has followed the building Of good
country roads.
1t would be idle to attempt an estimate of
the actual annual loss to the farmers result
ing from the present road system. Millions
of dollars are thrown away every year
through the bad roads of the State. More
than so per cent. of the money annually ex-
pended serves but a poor and shifty Jempor-
airy purpose, and every returning season
finds the wagon roads in the same broken,
neglected condition.
In order to stop this annual drain-this inter
rest upon debt which viii never be liquidated
under present conditiuns-a definite practical
and continuous system of State highways
must be devised, and must have a recognized
Place in the laws OF California. The road
convention IS an initial step in the right di-
rection. 1t should be preached line upon line
in every paper IN the State, and should be at
tended by able representatives from every
county from san Diego TO Siskiyou.
That is well said. But while the call
for the convention is very broad, and the
day OF its assembling is not far off, less
than $50 delegates have been chosen, and
not half the counties have acted or
taken an interest in the matter. If the
100 will all attend it will be a fine body,
for the delegates are picked men. But
will they all come?
The Supervisors of the counties could
not better disburse portion of the fund
they are allowed to use to encourage inn
migration than to pay the expenses of
every delegate. 1t would be an invest
ment insuring large return, and directly
affects the question of immigration.
The surveyors reports, by the way,
are, we are informed. coming in finely. In
every case they establish these facts:
First, that in ten years every county has
spent enough money on Indifferent and
dirt roads to build first-class, enduring,
easily maintained highways, if it had all
been spent at once; second, that there are
but few miles of well-built, economically
constructed highways in the State; third,
that the road tax, ranging from Is to 81
cents, is from one-halfto one-third higher
than if good roads were built; fourth,
that in no instance as yet has road been
built except at too great cost; fifth, that
election toa Supervisorship does not quail
ifvaman as road builder; sixth, that the
contract and comprehensive system IS
better by far than any district or local