St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1901-02-02
GOOD ROADS QUESTION.


Just now the roads in this locality
are about rs bad rs they ever get in
early winter. The mud. and slush ia
from four inches to: :ones foot in
depth, while the ruts are away down.
This condition brings the matter of
good roads" home to farmers, and
some Of the more enterprising-those
who believe that good roads the year
around will benefit them materially
are again agitating the matter in a
lively manner. But the opposition is
large. AMI powerful. and the good
roads advocates find themselves still
largely in the minority. If anyone
wishes to make himself thoroughly
unpopular and to be regarded as n
dangerous character all he has to do
in many rural districts is to proclaim
himself an advocate of hard roads.
His best friends will pity him as one
n little of in the upper story, while
the rest of the community will LAY
for him;" and if he should announce
himself candidate for any Office.
they will see that he is promptly and
instantly squelched.
In this matter argument is of little
use. The man who is opposed to inn
proved roads is determined to remain
so, and argument seems only to make
him more obstinate. have heard men
who did not own hundred dollars
worth of property declaim against
proposed or suggested improvements
of the roads, as though the entire
cost would fall on them alone. l have
seen some of these same men cap
tured, boots and all, in Is minutes by
& tactful road officer, who quietly
drew them aside and offered to en-
ploy them ut good wages in making
the said improvement. Proper
manipulation" will work wonders
with such men. But the landowner
is more difficult to manage. He knows
that he will have to help pay for the
improvements, and often he will be
found kicking even while he is en-
joying the benefits of the improve
ments. At our farmers institute this
matter has been discussed several
times, and the discussion invariably
wakes acrimonious, and a majority of
the audience are in full sympathy
with those who oppose good roads.
The most entertaining and effective
advocate of good roads I ever heard
was a quiet little fellow who dis
cussed both sides Of the question. He
first began by denouncing extrava-
CANT expenditures and riding rough
shod over the farmers, and the kick
ers were with him at once. He then
argued that the town was benefited
equally with the country by hard
roads through noting their effect on
property. He had seen land lying con-
tiguous to a hard road rise in value
five to ten dollars an acre soon after
the completion of the road. He then
showed the actual cost Of a mile of
the road, and how that cost was paid
without distressing anyone. He
showed that the cost of maintaining
hard road after it is constructed is
only a mere fraction of the cost of
maintaining our present style of dirt
roads. The large amount thus annual
ly saved goes long way toward pay
ing the cost of building the good road,
so that road-taXes would be but little
higher while the bonds are being paid
than at present. Then they would
drop to next to nothing. He further
showed how most of the farmers
could pay quite portion of the tax
by hauling the material, helping to
grade, etc. He presented the entire
matter SO plainly that a child could
understand it, and he won many farm
ers to the good-road side of the ques-
ton, while many others stated that
they would have no particular kick
TO offer if they were assured positively
that every cent of money raised for
the purpose. would be honestly ex-
pended in building the road.-Cor.
Farm and Fireside.