Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1898-05-26
How Can We Have Good Roads?
ANNAPOLIS, Mo, May Is, 1898

| ANNAPOLIS, Mo-, May 10, 1880.
We are very much in need OF good
roads in this neck of the woods; and
; braving the chance of being accused
of trying to steal somebody's thunder,
we will endeavor to give our ideas on
the now we'll worn subject of "good
roads"
In the first place, the only way to
get good roads is to make them. We
might write, preach, and legislate on
the subject until doomsday without so
much as moving stone.
The first requisite is the proper To-
cation, which can be done only by
civil engineers or persons specially
| fitted for that purpose. After that,
labor and material will do the rest.
Now, the present system of road work,
which is about sufficient to repair ex
listing roads, besides being inadequate
| is totally unjust and unfair. Under it
the man who has no team to use on
the roads. and no land or other prop
erty to be raised in value by the i'm
provement of the roads, is required to
| work as many days as the man who
owns vast tracts of land to be in
creased in value and numerous teams
to use the roads.
But TO proceed. While the present
system might be left in vogue for the
maintenance of roads already in eX-
| istence, another system for the build
| ing of other and more substantial roads
should be inaugurated. Now, to begin
with, county supervisor of road con-
struction might be elected whose busi-
ness it would be with a gang of labor
ers, to whose number should be added
all criminals whose offenses are pun
ished now by Jail sentences.
The laborers employed in this road
construction gang should be paid with
money raised by tax on dogs, wag-
ons, bdggies, bicycles, horses, mules
and oxen. Dogs, because they are
nuisance as well as a luxury. Teams
and vehicles, because they use the
roads exclusively and tits for them that
roads are made.
We are of the opinion that the idle
men in Missouri would, if put to work
on the roads, in few years build such
roads as would add fifty per cent. to the
value of real estate. to say nothing Of
the convenience of good roads.
There seems to be something radio
ally wrong here. We want good roads
which can only be made by labor;
these idle men want the labor. They
can't get the labor nor can we get the
roads The case reminds me of an old
will II horses to be divided between
three sons, the oldest of whom was to
and the youngest one-ninth. After
hitching the horses up in line the
eldest son selected nine as his share,
but as that was more than half of sew
enteen, the others objected; then the
second son selected six as his share,
but the eldest and youngest objected
because that was more than One-third
of seventeen; then the youngest, who
was entitled under the terms of the
will to one-ninth, selected two, but as
that was more than one-ninth of sew
enteen the others objected. Then, just
as they were about to give up in de-
spair, preacher rode up, to whom the
unhappy youths related their troubles.
After a few moments reflection the
preacher hitched his horse at the end
of the line and bade the eldest boy
take his share, which he did, taking
nine; then the second son was told to
take his share, which he did, taking
six; then the third took his share,
which was two, and as the preachers
horse was left, he mounted him and
rode away.
Now here we are wanting roads, that
can only be made by labor. Thousands
of men want the labor. Now who will
be the preacher to place his horse in
the line and give US the roads and the
idle men labor?
Money! Money! Money! 'Tis the
key to the whole situation. 'Tis the
life blood of civilization. 'Tis as nee
essary to civilization as the air is to
life. Idleness is a waste of wealth.
Then why should men who are anxious
to work be compelled to remain idle?
Give us money enough to put our
idle men to work; then we can not only
have good roads but many other good
things in addition to labor for every
man who wants to work. CRUX.
The Spanish Bondholders' Conspiracy.