The Van Buren press., 1897-10-16
AGRICULTURAL HINTS
A FARMERS ARGUMENT.
lie Takes II Really sensible stand on
the Road Question.


we fall over the stones we ourselves
have laid in the way. There is no end
of fault-fnding - and justly SO = over
the money sharks, the combines, the
greedness of public officials and poll
tieians There is no doubt that these,
collectively in many instances, get fully
one-half of the peoples earnings. OF
the remaining half one-half of
that is lost TO the farmer by
weeds and yermin, by bad financial
management, and by bad roads, These
are the stones he lays in his own way,
o. allows TO lie there TO stumble over.
The farmers themselves are prinei-
pally to blame for the poor and misera-
bic condition OF our country roads.
The way of maintaining these roads is
aEou{ the same that was customary IN
cur eolonial times, when any road was
good enough, if rocks, stumps or holes
did not make them entirely impossible
for vehicles. 1t is very likely that more
attention would have been paid to our
country roads were it not for the intro
ducton of railroads. What the rall-
reads are for traffic on a large scale, so
are our country roads for traffic or a
small scale-alike beneficial to all peo-
pie 1t is fact that railroads haul
cheaper, and is il not a fact that rail
roads cost more? Is it not, likewise, 4
fact that railroads earn enormous
riches out of the people by hauling for
the people?
Now, if the farmer could haul his
produce at half the present cost, how
much would that save him2 | do not
know, some one may answer. Well, II
I did not see the railroads | would not
either. But the fact is, if we had good
wagon roads all the year round, the
hauling would not cost half what it
eosis now, besides the quicker trip and
bigger load and man, team, harness
and wagon would last longer. The
price for the load hauled would be bet
ter in winter and early spring than in
midsummer, when team and man are
nearly suffoeated by dust, and when
they ought to be at home eultivating
corn and potatoes; cleaning up around
the hog house and yard, and making
numerous other improvements.
The country road question is gener
ally misconeeiyed; therefore. INSULT
cently discussed, and will not be solved
satisfactorily by old ways and means.
Instead of treating it as question of
national economy, it is regarded as
local matter for which there is a great
,al. Of ,bap 9f n
solve or carry it out. In the far west,
where the settlers build their homes
far apart, nobody thought of arranging
or maintaining regular roads. All road
making was confined to poorly, pass
abe approaches to the railroads; very
often. however, they found what a
great damage an impossible road is. a
great deal has been written about how
to make farmers comprehend that it is
in their own interest to maintain good
roads. But it would seem to be all in
vain
Farmers are ayerse TO the cost of
constructing durable roads and not far
sighted enough to see the benefits they
would derive from it, That the cost of
constructing such a road is consider
able, may be comprehended by every
body; but that it is as high as generally
supposed is a mistake, and this seems to
be the main reason that so little has
been accomplished in this direction.
OF course, the roads are repaired every
year according to the nature and con-
dition of the soil. Gravel will produce
the best and cheapest roads; but is
squandered in many places We often
see gravel put in places where the road
is not sufficiently graded There is
mixed with the water in holes to mush
and entirely disappears in few years.
In many places gravel and stones are
not to be had. In such cases the largest
| holes in the road are annually filled
with dirt, by plow and scraper and
then left alone till the next year, and
so ad inhnitum. Here wide wagon
wheels would be better than narrow
ones; il is not to be wondered that the
roads grow from bad to worse in some
places.
The manner in which roads in Wis
consin have been maintained for many
years is not a correct one, nor is the
system of roadmasters. 1t should have
been abolished long ago. These road
masters are elected by acclamation,
whether the man is competent to earn
his salary or not; influence conquers,
and often the beer-glass decides the
election. To some it is great fun to
elect somebody who does not want,
and does not care for the office. In
some places it is the rule, when hauling
gravel in payment of road taxes TO load
on as little as possible. If the road
masters would see that every team
| hau,ed at least one cubic yard, consid-
erably more would be accomplished.
| In some districts where capitalists live
who do not work their road taxes them
| selves the cash is collected by road
masters who promised TO have the
| taxes worked, but most of it remains
/ in his pocket, or is used to fumigate
/ or irrigate the throat. 4 roadmaster
/ who really and earnestly sees TO it that
every tax paper does his duty is seldom
! reelected.
Ii we want good roads we must elect
| men TO the legislature who are interest
ell in exacting more suitable laws.
! Things would be much different if,
when a piece OF road is TO be made, the
loo was entrusted TO expert and compe-
tent hands. Every roadmaster should
be required to have a knowledge of
bridge construction. with tools and the
| proper handling of the same. In nearly