St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-01-15

club this morning, having for their
purpose the discussion not so much of
good roads as of the means of securing
them. Everybody wants good roads.
The farmer who never stops to fill
rut or remove stone from the road
wants them. The teamSter who gets
his breath jerked out of him as the
wheel Of his wagon drops into some
deep rut or strikes some ancient stump
in the road, but who will neither turn
out to avoid them nor stop 4 moment to
remove them, wants good roads. The
peripatetic canvaSser for the sale of
farm implements or the placing Of in
surance, who mutters 4 curse under his
breath at the dOughheads who permit
such "thank-ye ma'amS" to remain in
the road to disturb the ease and comfort
of his progress-he. too. earnestly wants
good roads. In fact, census of the EN-
tire population would fail to find one
man, woman or child opposed to them.
And it has always been thus. and al
ways we have roads that are good when
least needed and eXecrabIe when want
ed to be good. The trouble is that ev-
erybody wants everybody else to pro-
vide them with good roads. Making
good roads and keeping them good is
everybody's business, and consequently
is no ones. Even the roadmasterS and
the men who commute their road taxes
with labor think. rs Il rule. that they
are doing work that will enure to the
benefit of others much more than to
themselves, and slight their work, cut
ting the corners in all directions. FIRE.
Quently the notice of the roadmaster to
turn out with shovel or spade or ak or
team is looked on as signal for loaf
ing spell. A little perfunctory work is
done between the intervals of rest and
story telling and smoking in the fence
corners, or pouring down thirsty Threats
the beer or stronger stuff bought with
money levied On the wayfarers.
Another serious obstacle to getting
good beds for the roads is one we have
referred to before, the disposition of
Land owners and town officers to regard
land that is good for nothing else as
being just the land for road. This
grows out of the vicious practice of pay
ing damages for the use Of the land as a
highway. The towns having it to pay
have 4 dread of taxation, and the super
visors minimize the expense by select
ing the poorest land for the roads
route. Any one who has had any eXre-
rience with the laying of new roads in
country district can bear witness to the
existence of this obstacle. Were the
principle established that every land
owner is bound to permit the public a
use Of q portion Of his own land for pur-
poses of communication without charge,
as a reciprocal duty to his right to freely
use the land of others for the same pur-
pose, this great obstacle to good roads
would be removed.
Then the chronic and incurable hos.
tihty Of water to roads is one that is not
always taken into account. Every road
is good when dry and hard. They are
good or bad in wet weather in exact
proportion as they are kept free or made
subject to the action of water. Hillside
roads are frequently only sluices for the
rain water that deScends the hill, soften
ing the earth and making it peculiarly
susceptible to the kncading of passing
wheels. Level roads are given no
drainage, and are soon cut into ruts
when the storms come.
Criticism is easy, but the question
of remedy is difficult. If there were
| everywhere local pride III the good
roads of the neighborhood, if it could be
created and kept awakened, it would be
a factor. Communication of road taxes
! should be abolished, and the contract
| system employed in its place. County
roads made intoa system radia.ing from
the county seat and put exclusively in
| charge of tho county commissioners
would be better than the present plan.
| State supervision, and especially state
aid, is not TO be thought Of. The field is
too vast and the expense too enormous.
Wise legislation reforming our road
laws is lmperatively needed, but the
work of improvement must be done on
local lines, and mainly in the way of
stirring up larger public spirit. Good
road clubs might be formed, and the
! state might set aside sum to be award
ed as prizes to the best-made country
roads. This discussion will in itself be
a factor towards awakening a more
| general interest than now exists.