Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1902-08-07
AS TO GOOD ROADS.

| shape than at any previous period OF
our history. The varying fortunes
of politicians have been staked on
| the outcome of this issue, and repu-
| tations have been won and lost by
adherents to the belief that the peo-
pie desire this public improvement.
Recent developments, however,
| point to the gratifying result that
many of the people who in its earlier
stages resisted the advancement of
| this crying need, are now its most
earnest advocates, because, like other
public necessities, it has proven, be-
yond theory or cavil, that it is abso-
lutely essential to the best progress
of nation, State or even a local
community.
It is a matter of cOngratulation
that the people OF our State have al
ready passed through the stage of
education as to the "benefts" re-
sulting from good roads and the de-
STABILITY OF having them in every
locality. Probably no person with
in our borders now would for mo-
ment contend that better public
roads fail to promote every phase of
human happiness, and that the de
gree of happiness thereby attained is
measured by the state of perfection
to which our public highways are
improved. It is therefore useless to
employ arguments upon that part of
the controversy, because 1T has un-
mistakably been settled inthe minds
of the citizens of North Carolina.
Their present great interest in pub
lie road building and the desire
manifested in all portions OF the
State for information upon the sub
iect evidence their determination to
reap the benefits OF good roads which
past experience has brought to the
more wealthy and progressive cen
ters of civilization.
Having settled this most import
ant fact in the progress of the cam
paign for better roads, our peOpleare
now confronted with the probably
more difficult problem of determin-
ing the wisest and most practicable
manner of arriving at a SYSTEM of
road building which will be suitable
to our conditions as people and oslr
progress as State However, ia
the progress which our people are to
make in road improvement, there
must be gradual Improvement
from the least expensive roads to
system which will be substantial and
which the public sentiment will de-
mand, as the resources of our COM
munities will allow.
But we must not lose sight of the
fact that earth roads or common dirt
roads can be brought to high de-
gree of perfection and be made to
yield surprisingly satisfactory results
| if proper care and attention are CIV
en- to their location, drainage and re-
| pair. GA child must crawl before it
can learn to walk' seems to apply
with some force to the present road
situation in North Carolina. While,
| of course, some of our weather.
counties are spending thousands of
dollars yearly for building and main
| tanning public roads and are "past
masters" in the art of road building,
yet the infection has not become gen.
eral in the State, and out of our 81
counties, this intelligent modern
road improvement is carried on in
probably not more than a dozen sec
tons. A person has only to visit
| Asheville, or Winston, or Charlotte,
or Raleigh, Or Wilmington to dis
cover that in any section of North
| Caroliua, from the lowlands border
ing the ocean, through the more ele-
waited middle section, to the rugged,
mountainous counties, road improve
ment to high state of perfection is
possible, and even profitable. He
will also be impressed with the fact
that improved highways and increas-
ing prosperity go hand in hand; they
are twin brothers and are not to be
separated; to some extent each is the
cause and each Is the effect.
The North Carolina Good Roads
Association recently formed at Ra-
leigh, has undertaken with earnest,
ness this campaign of education fol
better public roads in the State.