Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1897-07-23
THE ROAD QUESTION IN EUROPE
AND AMERICA.

II Is natural for the people OF the United
States, 10 view of their wonderful progress
as IA nation, and In view of the magnificent
success OF their system of government, to
boast at the expense OF Europe. We have
advanced so much more rapidly than any
European nation has advanced, we have
had SO much greater freedom from internal
disorders, and we have been easily first in
the field OF invention that we are prone to
overlook certain important matters In which
our Old World brethren still have the ad
vantage OF us.
One of the arts In which the Old World
excels the New Is the art of road building
and road repairing. II is very true that the
United States are able to plead their tire
mendous sweep of country and their com
parative sparseness of population as an ex
cuse for the fact that our roads are not equal
To those of France, Germany or England.
That excuse would be perfectly valid il we
had exerted all possible effort to bring our
roads up 10 high standard Of excellence,
but there is nothing whatever 10 excuse our
failure to recognize the importance OF good
roads as a national asset. We have not
made any systematic and determined AT,
tempt to provide our people with the sort OF
thoroughiares necessary to their comfort and
prosperity.
Here our Wanted progress is sadly lack
ing. In this respect We are infinitely be-
hind the Romans, who understood two
thousand years ago the paramount import
ance oil good highways to an enlightened
nation, and proceeded TO act upon that con.
yiction SO well that their work 10 the line OF
road construction stands TO day as an en-
during monument TO their sagacity and in
dustry. No one thing contributed more to
the ability of the Roman empire TO control
It's vast possessions and to repel invasion
than the excellence of its roads and the good
repair in which they were kept. Whenever
Rome conquered country, one of the first
steps taken after the establishment of her
rule was to build roads, and the work was
done systematically under the most compe.
tent direction. Not only were these high.
WAYS OF incalculable advantage to Rome 10
a commercial way, but whenever an lnsur-
rection arose or appeared likely TO arise
they were Invaluable as afording quick
and comfortable means Of transferring ar
mics from one section TO another.
Is not remarkable that country which
has astonished latter day civilization by its
growth, country which is in advance oil
the nations OF Europe 10 the essential prin
ciples OF government as well as in general
ouickness Of perception and application,
should vet be behind the nstions Of Europe
in profting by the example set by Rome
before the dawn OF the Christian erag In
nearly everything else we are quick to rec.
ognize prospect for improvement and sd
vantage If an European inventor devises
9 method of machine better than ours we
usually accept his invention and apply it in
our own country Why, then, should we
so obstinately ignore the experience Of thirty
centuries and suffer many portions Of our
great domain TO struggle under the handi-
CAD of roads little better than prairie trail
or an animal path in the primevsl forestf