The Newtown bee., 1894-05-11

The following interesting and able paper by H. o. Averill, Worthy Ma ster of Washington Grange, recently read be- fore that Grange, is published in full at the solicitation of The Editor. It is as follows:
 Some writer has very truly said that in driving over the roads in the country districts he could form very true con- ception 1of the enlightenment, culture and refinement of the inhabitants of each town through which he passed by a casual notice of the condition of the pub lie roads. If this writer should choose, as did our worthy lecturer nearly two years ago, the pleasant season of the year for the trip across the country to Berkshire hills, the season when Nature has filled the trees with fruit and paint ed the leaves of the forest with beautiful autumnal tints, if he is driving sure footed horse that is accustomed to steep hills, made still sleeper by plentiful sui ply of huge "cradle knolls,'' if he is acc0mpanied by companion whose fair face and sweet voice are NEVER FAILING SOURCE OF HAPPINESS and solace to him, if the trip is made un' der such favor bie circumstances wher our country roads are allin their best condition, the conclusions as to our civilization might not be entirely un favorable to us.
 But if on the other hand, the trip were atteml ted during rhe season of the yea when by mud our roads are not passable Not even Jack-ass-able, we would b' written down as brutal, ignorant ant barbaTous.
 Taking our common roads then as { true index of our civilization, how vii this country compare with foreign coun tries?
 I will quote from the report of tn United States Department of Agricultur in the year 1888. The commissions says: "While our railway system has be come the most perfect in the world tn common roads of the United States hay been neglected and are inferior to thos of any other civilized country in tn world" Patrons, we are privileged | being permitted to live in cOuntr' where liberty and freedom are tht | birthrlght of all, in a country who's material growth and prosperity is tn wonder of the world. We are proud o our free schools and richly endOwe' universities and we arc glad that ou great railway system is the most perfec | in the world, but to realize that
 OUR COMMON ROADS ARE INFERIOR to those of any civilized country in tn world should fill us with shame an modification.
 We look around ussand note the grea advance made during recent years in al l lines of private and corporate business Agriculture is coming to be studied as
 science. Farmers are learning to kno' more of the nature of their farms, wha clements are removed by their crops an | what must be returned to keep the
 land fertile and make it more productive They are learning that the use of in
 proved machinery reduces the cost ( production and renders them better abl
 to meet sharp competition. RailWa officials have made an even closer stud
 of their business and no outlay of none
 has been too great for then to make
 their efforts to decrease the cost of carr,
 ing freight and passengers. The result
 of their study and experience are see
 in grades reduced, curves straightenet
 iron rails replaced with steel, broke
 stone taking the place of and as ba
 last for their road beds and in improve
 rolling stock.
 That the improvement in the syste
 of making and repairing our commo
 roads has not kept pace with advance
 made in nearly every other line must
 acknowledged by all.