The Indianapolis journal., 1894-01-05

D0Se0 Dy the FARMERS. vi course lHSlc 10
much unwisdom in the propositions of the
agitators of road reform, but the farmer
too often measures the movement Dy the
fact that IL originated In the cities, and ne
motive in view by urging the improvement
of roads
CAUSE OF THE OPPOSITION.
'It is not my purpose to ridicule, in any
degree, the opposition the cause Of it
1t is really to inquire whether or not the
violence of this opposition Is Que to a mis-
understanding or to certain active prfnct-
pies which govern the farmer in all his
business relations. The real reformer of
the road system believes in setting up high
ideals and attaining them as rapidly and as
closely as possible. In his zeal he over
states the purposes of the movement and
draws. too highly-colored pictures OF the
main roadways, while the farmer thinks
he means every road within State and
county. He advocates the graveling OF
roads and the farmer understands him TO
mean all roads; he favors bonds for
graveled roadways and pixies. and again
s thaf All roads IN the whether
used or not, are to be graveled at the ex-
pense of the property owner. Thus, out
of MISUNDERSTANDING and colored state
ments the reformer carries TO his hearers
a false idea, and sometimes gives wrong
impressions regarding the purpose which
we e are here to-day to discuss.
"The speakers refer to the old Roman
roads, talk about France and her system
of perfect roads, England with her elabor-
ate road laws and extreme care OF all
roadways, which costs thousands upon
thousands of dollars per mile, and neces-
which would bankrupt any county of this
State. And the farmer goes home to his
country place on farm ten miles from
teams may pass each week, and he thinks
he cannot afford to be taxed to keep up
such roads as the reformer has described.
His opposition is due to his misunders tand-
ing, not to the real purpose of the move
ment OF % anf and so fa in
his idea as an ultimate attainment, but he
is unwise insomuch that he does not make
Of road-making only as final end, and
does not expect to reach perfection at
once hoping that its details can be worked
out perhaps in a century.
1.-THE radical proposition to change our
road laws. rather than to make a proper
enforcement of the present laws, is an un-
wise one. The opposition feel that the laws
at present in existence are sufficient 70
make good all the roads of Indiana in pro-
portion to their utility, and to the uses to
field is opened for the taxation of the farm
er and the diversion to wrong purposes of
funds which are unnecessarily collected.
when 1t comes to be understood that
the movement for the Improvement of roads
and the road-making system of the State is
based upon a real desire to put these high
ways in a condition to meet the wants OF
those that use them; that their improve
ment is to be proportioned to their value
as means of transportation to the farmer;
when II Is understood that the graveled
road is not to lead by every mans door,
and that the turnpike Is not to take the
place Of the mud road in counties where
settlements are few and population sparse;
when 1t Is understood again, that Ii is not
the purpose to create new offices and fur
nfsh salaries for new officers, but that 1t
is TO greatly Improve the highways of the
State and make the transportation of the
farmers products more easy and more
rapid; when it is believed by the farmer
that those who advocate a. new system are
doing 50 for his benefit then I think that
large portion Of the opposition which we
find to-day will disappear.
when the term Highway I'm
provement Association we use it in a grad
uated sense; the improvements to the high
ways proportioned to their use and to their
need. For the turnpikeS 1t means a new
and improved system of keeping in re-
pair. For the graveled road it means more
careful and economical use of the material
Whlch enters into its construction. For
the mud road it means better drainage,
more carefully rolled surface.
Highway improvement in its practical
and real sense means the adaptation of the
highways to the needs of those for whom
they were built. 1t does not intend that
the roads Of the State snail uniformly he
brought to the same class, nor that they
shall all be made equal In their cons truction;
but that the county road, the State road
land the thOroughfareS between the more
important localities shall be so cared for
and so constructed that the farmers wagon
may carry double it's present load. that the
farmers horses may do twice what they
can at present and that the economy of his
energy, of his labor and of his wagon and
the cheapness of transportation shall be
largely increased by this extra care put
upon the roads. 1t means, further that
whatever work is now spent, whether from
the farmers hand direct or from the ex-
penditure of the county funds shall be
done in the best possible manner, with
the least expense and TO the greatest bene~
fit of the road. The honest desire of every
member of the Highway Improvement AS
sociation of Indiana is that all roads may
be most economically and most beneficially
improved by some system, or by a combina-
ton OF systems OF road work, which shall
result in bringing to the farmer ten times
what he has expended for their care .8'
Il believe there is not member of this
association whose honest purpose is not to
the betterment Of the interests of the farm
er. While may take into consideration
the Improvement Of city highways, and as
a part of our reform advocate the making
of roads within the city limits under GER
tain conditions and under certain laws the
ultimate object is the Improvement of the
county highway for the benefit of the
| transportation for his products"
ROADS AND POLITICS.
1.-THE National Government and the Good
Roads Movements was the subject of an
| address by j. p. Applegate, of New AL
| bany. The speaker said: There is more or
| less politics in the subject. Our friends,
| the Socialists, and their near kin, the Pop
| ulists, want the government to do nearly
| everything. Another political sect want a
| strong central government and building
| roads and making internal Improvements
IS one of their tenetS of faith. Still anoth-
! er division oppose all manner of govern
ment work or the exercise Of federal DOW
| er. To discuss the question without cross
| ing the paths of any of these hobby riders
| Is, perhaps, impossible" He thought as
| an abstract proposition, that the State
| should do nothing that can be done by To-
| cal diviSions-county, town and city-and
| the local authority nothing that can be
| done by the individual. A sturdy individ-
| ualism, he contended, is the basis of civic
| virtue. He thought the proposal for the
| government to build highways was not
| feasible and cited reasons to bear out his
| claim. The proposal for the government to
| advance money would only result in rob
| bing Peter to pay Paul.
| Neither did he think the State govern
| ment should build highways. Roads should
| be built entirely by local county, township
| and town authorities. One section of the
| State that has built good roads should not
| be taxed to build roads for a county that
| has poor roads.
| This paper evoked a lengthy discussion,
! participated in by Judge o. j. Glessner, j.
| G Kingsbury and others.
| 'The Economy of Good Roads" was the
| subject of an address by Prof. w. r. John
| son, of Franklin College. He discussed
| the building of good roads from an eco
| nomic standpoint. He said: Good roads
| pay because greater loads can be hauled
be marketed To better advantage to the
| farmer, as he can move his products al
| any season of the year and when the prices
| are the highest. The saving yearly to the