The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1898-01-22
Good Roads.

Editor Intelligencer.
1 am glad 10 see n discussion of the
s.Good Roads" problem starting, and
I regard tho newspaper as being the
greatest lever to mold the opinions of
the people. l wish to enter this dis.
cussion in a brief article, In which to
notice 10 some extent the cemmunica-
ton from GARNER in your last issue.
He says he has never heard any prac-
tical method offered to make the roads
good. Like the resumption of specie
payments some years ago, of which il
was said, the way to resume is 10
resume; so, to have good roods, make
them good.
ssFarmer'' says, 1.-The farmers are
the persons most directly benefited by
good roads; !" therefore, it would fol-
low that they should be correspond
ingly energetic to make them good.
As a body, are theyP
He indirectly hints that he Is In
favor Of a law compelling the railroads
10 carry farm products to the markets
free of charge. How absurd! What
do the nsoplless corporations" care
whether the farmer hauls his produce
to the station s'by two small loads, or
one large one" for 1t will get there all
the same, no matter what it costs the
farmer to convey It.
l beg to suggest that our roads are
IN much better condition than they
we're ter or twelve years ago, and that
as we have improved road machinery
now, there should be still greater I'M
provement In the future, In spite of our
present faulty road laws.
Now, to go back to the idea that the
farmers are the most benefited by good
roads, ] want to say that at the time OF
year when the roads should be worked
TO get the best results april, May and
June), not many OF them want to work
the roads; and, l do not blame them.
Consequently, the bulk of the road
work ia deferred until late in the
season, and such work is practically
wasted.
The present general law TO work
roads by poll tax Is sadly out OF dateI
1t Is a relic of those earlier days when
our country was sparsely settled, and
the roads were mere trails or paths,
from one settlement 10 another, or 10
the nearest town. Those roads were
not subject to frequent or heavy travel,
and OF course the wear upon them was
no SO great as at present. Then, II a
road get loo bad, The citizens lpoll tag,
if yop please} assembled and pended
4, ,or cpt out another route slseYhere.
A to the question, ''How car good
roads be had. and bow paid tori" The
answer TO this refers to dirt roads, as
now worked by overseers. ~CTurnpikes
are provided for by q separate enact
ment.) Repeal the general road law.
Enact instead, q law:
Requiring county courts to let the
road work to contractors who bid the
lowest, and give q good aud sufficient
bond for the fulfllment of the contract.
Provide for competent supervision
over said c~outFaotors.
Require all roads to be worked and
completed not later than July list of
each year; and for the remainder OF
the year the duty of the contractors
shall be to continually mend or repair
VoTn or washed places.
Require every voter to pay his road
tax In money, aud make strict provis-
ions to enforce the collection OF the
same.
think the above outline will be q
competent answer to the question. /
would like every one having positive
convictions on the road question to say
what he thinks, in the end 10 instruct
our next representative to the Degisla-
ture the wishes of the people In rela-
ton thereto. II. C..