The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1898-02-05
GOOD ROADS NOTES.
General Stone on State Aid.

Gencrai Stone on state AID.
The subject of State aid for road
building was touched on by General
Stone, Chief Of the Bureau Of Good
Roads Of the Agricultural Department,
in his address at the annual conven-
ton Of the National Road Parliament.
He said:
"The provision of State aid is the
only possible method by which the
State and the corporate property of
the cities can aid in the building of
roads. Throughout the United States
the cities and corporations, as far as I
know, are quite willing to help, and
the only question is how they can do
it.
cit is of moro vital importance to
the cities to have good country roads
than it is to the people Of the country
themselves. Every ounce Of food
that is consumed in tho cities must
come from the country, and if the
country roads were wiped out to-day,
the farmers could 60 right on living,
but the people of the cities would
have to scatter to-morrow-they could
not live q day. They are beginning
to realize it; they are beginning to
feel that they want hand in the
building of the roads, and they have o
feeling of very warm interest. A
great many city people are going to
the country that formerly did not 60
OF oil, and they would go great deal
more if they had good country roads,
and State aid is the only measure
that any Of us have been ableto devise
by which city and corporate property
can aid in the development of the
country roads.
II was interested in what one gentle
man said this morning, that in his own
township, his village and his bank
paid three-fourths of the township tax,
and that was O fair contribution. That
was unquestionably fair so far as his
township was concerned, but how
about the next township that has no
village and no bank? We must look
beyond our own immediate neighbor-
hood; we must cultivate wider
citizenship, and that feeling of wider
citizenship is growing feeling that
the favored localities must help those
not so favored.
IT am glad to say that the actual
possession Of good roads, wherever I
have known it, has had q great effect
in developing that kinder feeling and
broader citizenship. 1t has been a
marked fact in New Jersey that the
localities which have taxed themselves
to get good roads are the first to vote
to give State aid to the localities that
have not good roads. Many men say
we see the benefits Of it; we have
the benefits of it, and we can afford tc
help our neighbors enjoy it, And
you will find that the movement TO,
State did, wherever it goes, will help
TO develop broader citizenship.
II hope that some time Federal did
will broaden it still more. I hope
that the people of the United States,
in the more-favored regions, will fee
disposed, as they get the benefit Of
good roads themselves, to help confer
those benefits upon the regions tina,
have not the advantages. I believe
that every step taken, every judicious
step taken towards bringing about the
aid of the Federal Government to.
wards general road improvement will
help to develop that feeling all through
the United States; that we have got to
consider something beyond our own
ueighborhoods, - beyond our own
Counties and beyond our own States.
We have got to look over the whole
field OF the United States and see
what the General Government can dc
TO help the people who need this kind
Of help everywhere"