The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-10-03
4 NATURAL HIGHWAY.

The introduction of steam as a motive
power was, in a sense, unfortunate for
the United States. The innovation came
too early. 1t caused mushroom growth
of hamlet and city, and destroyed the
thrifty, wholesome country life of the
stage coach days.
The iron track took the place of the ma
tional and state highways The great
turnpikes and the post-roads punctuated
with the hospitable tavern, became mere
byways of travel. The empowered and
yine-clad hamlets were swallowed up in
the more pretentious villages about the
railroad stations The tavern was aban-
doned for the city hotel. and under it's
protecting porches, sheep huddled to
avoid the sun. and it's shutters ratified
forlornly in the wind
AS time and discomfort became clint
mated from the problem of transportation,
the socially ambitious sought the grow
ing cities for that excitement which the
country districts did not afford Little
by little the cream of rural social life
was SKINNED for the benefit of the cities
The farmer with produce to sell watch
ed his chance when the road to the near
est station was dry, disposed of his mold
ings, and retired to his bucolic secu-
accommodation became memory
only, and a well graded highway, except
in the direction of the nearest town, was
classed as a luxury too expensive for
Woodworking people. This today is the
condition of the great states of the Mis-
sissippi valley. Their country roads for
half the year are absolutely impossible.
The introduction of the bicycle has had
a powerful influence in the revival of the
country road. 1t even galvanized into
semblance of life the old country tavern
in many an out-of-the-way place of the
East. But the bicycle as a means of
recreation is losing caste However, this
will not affect the general movements for
good roads. The automobile has come to
stay and will demand, as it's right, the
best that the expert roadmaker can
give.
Coordinate with the revival of interest
in country roads for social purposes. the
railroads have begun a crusade of in
struction in roadmaking for the purposes
of supplying feeders for their freight
lines.
Well graded roads to the elevators and
freight stations, by reducing the expense
of the farmer will enable the railroad
freight departments to keep up their
rates. 1t is a selfish interest but laud
able one. These good-roads trains which
have been doing duty in several parts of
the United States the past summer have
exerted a lasting influence on communi-
ties through which they have passed.
In the building of country roads large
amount of money can be spent without
anything to show for it. 1t is to avoid
this waste of money and energy as well
as to secure feeders that the railroads
nave TAKEN up the general education OF
the public in bodybuilding
A few years ago Julian Hawthorne,
in magazine article, advocated a great
national highway from New York to San
francisco. This suggestion did not re-
ceive at the time the attention it's i'm
portance warranted. A national high
way, 200 feet wide, properly graded set
with trees and hedges, and maintained
by either federal or state authority
would be of inestimable value to the en-
tire country. Let this artery of travel
once be established and other arteries
of social intercourse and local commerce.
would be built In view of the possibili-
ties of the automobile it seems that this
dream of Hawthorne must become real
ity. The state owes it to itself to supply
it's people with a means of communities.
ton, of transportation, other than that
furnished by the steam car
This road-building is question of prac
tical economies. The growth of urban
population has reached the point where a
reaction toward the country must set in.
The people must return to the soil. The
overstocked Industrial market, the in