New-York tribune., 1901-10-25
AN AWAKENING IN THE SOUTH.

One Of the most forcible evidences Of the
that portion OF the country has been brought
TO n realizing sense of some of its needs, is the
enthusiasm manifested over the subject OF i'm
proved highways. 1t will be hard to find one
point which the South has recently expert
enced a greater awakening. Last June, when
the good roads train under the initiative of tho
Illinois Central Railroad made a trip. starting
at New-Orleans as the southern end of the line.
it left behind it a trail Of leagues and associa-
tions State and local, devoted TO improving the
highways Of half dozen States. The recent
convention at Buffalo, which attracted delegates
from all over the Union and even across the
Atlantic, had an equally good result, although
In a different way. Now comes the announce
ment that the Southern Railway Company has
inaugurated a great movement in its desire TO
improve the road systems converging TO its
tracks. The company is to run a good roads
special, fully equipped along all It's lines.
stopping at various points to build half mile
or mile of coed road. and show the people
what can be done and how 10 do it.
This initiative should receive cordial co-opera-
ton Rivers. the natural and railroads. the
artificial, highways, of little use If the peo-
pie only short distance away from their lines
people Of the South have been held back for
want OF decent transportation facilities by the
ordinary highway. In the rules governing the
new rural mail delivery system one of the re-
quirements is the ability to travel twenty-five
miles day. and the impossibility of doing this
has in many cases delayed the extension of the
system This is equally true of business op-
pOrtunities of all kinds, more especially the dis
posing of produce on rising market 1t has
been estimated by a man fully acquainted with
market conditions in the South and Southwest
that opportunities for more than a million dol
lars increase in profits have been lost to farmers
In the last two years through inability to get TO
market quickly at a critical time.
And this not alone of the South and the South
west. Right here in New-York State farmers
have been kept away from profitable markets
by roads which were hogs or quagmires instead
of paths fit for a man TO ride over or horse
TO travel in. But New York has seen the light.
and to-day the improvement Of the highways
is a question which is seldom allowed TO drop
out Of sight. 1t is an omen of good for the
Southland that the people demanding of
their legislators more and more attention to the
highways. and that the cold business part of the
proposition is seen in its right light. Road
building although Of national importance, is
local work. and must be carried on under local
conditions. 1t is in this regard that the good
roads trains are doing we'll They strike all
sorts OF soil and all kinds of difficulties, and
show the people how TO improve their travel
facilities at the least possible expense, in the
shortest possible time and with the smallest
amount of trouble.
That the railroads have an eye to the main
chance in developing the lands along their lines
in no way detracts from the ultimate benefit of
their work to the farmer in the immediate
neighborhood. as well to the dweller in the
city which the farmer wishes to reach with
what he has to sell.