The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1898-02-11

e. sport il a thousand miles on the
raiiroA The prosperity. contentment.
intelligence and happiness OF the rural
population. depend largely on the con
diilon 81 the highways. No wonder the
value Of farm land is decreasing. The
best means Of beneiiting the agricul-
,urisis is 10 improve his roads. The
counties OF Europe. impoverished by
their Standing armies and their enor-
nous debts, build thousands of miles Of
road, and wisely spend millions anIu-
ely in keeping them in repair. What
transformation there would he in our
country If we had this European sys-
TEN of highways. An aroused public
opinion only can secure them
An accidental cross path made-no
one knows how--a century ago. widens
10 Wheel track. and becomes estab-
lshed as country road. simply be-
cause the actual traveller has not time
10 look after the condition of his high
way: the citizen who is not an actual
Traveller negiects what concerns other
citizens equally with himself. and the
county officer is not spurred 10 his duty
al providing a suitable road by the pres
sure OF Sufficiently robust public opin-
ion. As result every man, woman and
enid who has occasion TO pass between
enc and the other of two important; Sec
tons Of the country is compelled TO go
considerably out of his way. and toll
~ and down more than one long steep
hill.
Day after day, week after week.
month after month, summer and WIN
Ter. year after year, decade after decade
lit will soon be century after century,
The patient thousands who pass that
road submissively pay tribute Chill and
square corner taxes) TO the ignorant
carelessness of their forefathers and
present county officials. We're band
OF robbers to infcst that road and exact
one-tenth part of the cost that OIL
citizens now willingly pay for this extra
time. labor and annoyance, an outcry
would be raised that would resound
throughout the globe.
What is best now and hereafter for
the many must and should overthrow
The personal preference or caprice Of
the individual. Other forms of improve
ment are temporary; buildings fall into
decay, harbor ard river courses are
filed up with deposits. machinery be-
comes obsolete, inventions are super
seeded by new and better ones; organi-
cations of men, whether social. educa-
'ional. political or religious. are dis
rupted and scattered by the relentless
processes Of time, but properly located |
and constructed road will prove an ever |
frightening blessing to countless flu. |
ture generations.
Then, granting the vital and far
reaching importance Of having public
roads where they are wanted. and of the |
best and most enduring character;
granting the absolute power TO accom-. |
Plish this object, in the hands Of agents
chosen by the people tho mselvcs
treither of which propositions can be |
estpned)-then why is it that the
vast majority of our thoroughfares are
badly located and worse managed; that
country travel. instead Of being accom-
pushed with ease and pleasure. ia usual
~ vexation to the spirit. a perpetual
financial drain on our resources. and a |
Disgrace TO our boosted civilization?
There can be but one answer. While
al persons individually are well and |
painfully aware OF these facts. yet. the
people collectively have not been sufli-
GENTLY impressed with their Importance
~ short, public opinion on this ques.
Won has not been sufficiently educsted.~