The record-union., 1893-09-07
TO-DAY,s CONVENTION.

TO-DAY'S CONVENTION.
to-day at noon in the Senate Chamber,
and will be called to order by Governor
Markham. 1t is the initial of a most i'm
portant movement. Let no one think it
a matter of small moment. Be the dele
gates few or many they should cordially
consult with ali due deliberation and not
hasten to pass few resolutions and then
adjourn. They have in hand the first
real effort made to ascertain conditions
and suggest remedies relative to country
roads that has been made in this State.
The work of the convention will of
necessity be experimental and advisory.
The delegates have to feel the ground;
ascertain what divergence of views there
are, and set on foot some permanent
movement for road reform. No one ex-
poets that this conference is going to re-
suit in reform all at once but as surely
as the convention meets its action will be
felt to the latest time and be best under
stood when the work is accomplished of
making road traffic economic, and of
bringing town and country nearer to-
gether to the betterment of each other
and the improvement of social conditions
and the promotion of greater happiness
among men.
1t is an undeniable fact that the resi-
dents and property-owners of rural parts
pay about twice the sum that is necessary
for roads, and that for a little more than
half the amount annually paid out by
them for road purposes they can have the
best of roads and all the commercial and
social benefits that flow therefrom.
The whole difficulty is that we are
building roads without the aid of road
builders. We have, in seven cases out of
ten, employed those to construct roads
who are about as competent for the dis
charge of the duty as blacksmith would
be to construct watch-and this is said
with all proper respect for rural road
builders, whose motives are good and
whose efforts are sincere.
Road building is an art; there should be
called to it men whose business it is, and
who have been educated to that end; who
Will employ the best aids that art, science
and mechanical progress have given to
the age. The economics of this art are
by most of our systems wholly ignored;
we adhere to old methods under the de-
lusion that they are best because ancient.
We must get away from such error if
the State is to benefit as she should by
improved methods of transportation and
communication. We want the best in
it has been demonstrated that in road
matters the best is cheapest and most
develops and upbuilds.
We must abandon the idea that road
matters are local concerns, and adopt the
broader doctrine that all citizens whether
town or rural dwellers are equally inter-
ested in good roads, and should equally
contribute to their building and their
maintenance.
We must educate the public to COM
prehension of these truths; social demands
require better roads, that railway de-
velopment requires Improvement of our
common roads; that the iron rail
brings distant regions into free competi-
ton, and as Mr.. McClintock of the
Massachusetts Highway Commission
puts it, the ruralist is thereby often put
at singular and hopeless disadvantage.
There are producers, says the same emil
nent authority, in many sections Of the
country not dozen miles away from
market who are, in commercial sense.
more distant from it than if they dwelt
hundred miles away but upon line of
rail. The cause of such condition is as
obvious as the truth that because we
have railways, it is all the more impor-
tant that we have good country roads.
But the subject is one almost bound
less, and its treatment is more than diff
cult in single newspaper article. What
ever else the convention does, it should
not adjourn without erecting permanent
organization to carry on road agitation
and with power to convene road con-
crosses and to educate the public in road
economics until road reform is an ac-
complished fact in California.
LOCAL RECIPROCITY,