The suburban citizen., 1902-04-19
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The Country Needs Them.

TTY HE season again approaches
WI when, superior to all ques'
tions of education, politics G.
religion, "How shall we get
where we want to go through this
mudT engrosses the attention OF q
large portion of the population of the
United States. Even in the longest
settled portions of our country, where
one would suppose time, population
and wealth has given opportunity to
Establish proper foundation for COM
Portable locomotion for the wet as Wen
as the dry season, we find the condi-
ton nearly as deplorable as in the
more recently settled areas.
Why is it that with fine farms, With
substantial buildings for man and
beast, with railroad lines cutting the
country in every direction, and With
billions added each year to the perma'
ncnt wealth Of the country, there is so
little in the permanent Improvement
Of our roads? We note in this county
as high as five mills for road purposes,
ard at the end of q decade after spend
ing $50 out of every $1,000 there is lit
tie permanent improvement.
After failure from the time of set
tlement of this country till now il
would seem as if we should be ready
for some change, especially when we
reflect that nearly every civilized por'
tioa of the Old World has successfully
established proper highways Under
the system prevalent here the citizens
of many districts spend their time and
occasionally some misdirected energy
on the roads, when they run out Of q
job at home, regardless of the voice OF
the "road" to "come and mend me and
1 will be your benefactor." The orci'
nary individual would much rather
make 50 to jingle in his pocket or add
to the value of his private wealth than
to make $40 in public improvements,
even for his own benefit, so he seeks
every advantage to make dollars fol-
himself, and rarely hunts work for the
public, and his neighbor, the super
visor in charge in the circumscribed ru'
raj district, often disregarding his Off
cial duty, fails to call out his men al
the proper time, and when called out
fails to work them in tho proper man
her, and we call this 4 road system
and howl because we have poor roads.
With any system that depends upon
the material through which the road
passes We cannot have good roads all
the time, but they can be vastly I'M
proved. IL my judgment, after large
experience, l am convinced that the
township is about. the proper unit fol
a road district-that is, for the build
ing and mending of our common dirt
reads The size and amount of labor
to be performed in this area gives 0
man a permanent position and takes
him away from local influences, enc
much more competent men can be Sc
cured to fill the position OF supervisor
than If the districts are small.
Eut this country is much too enlight |
ened and wealthy forever to be sub |
ject to a halt in its traffic during pro
longed humid conditions, and we must
soon make a start for permanent roads. |
system by the Government OF the Uni
ted States, and the yearly appropriation
of not less than S50,000,000, this money
TO go to localities which would sup
plement it with an equal amount, the
whole to be spent under the direction
Of Government engineers.
Where colld money be spent to bet |
ter advantage? Not on questionabl |
improvements on rivers and creeks moi |
in building superfuous vessels for oul
navy that will be old junk in a few
years. An army Of men could be per !
manently employed on roads and the
whole country permanently Benefited |
Think Of it! A single battleship costs |
as much as the building Of 1000 miles |
of permanent road, and we have q suf. |
fciency Of the former and there car !
be no debate about the need Of the lat |
ter. Such a policy could be entirely
free from politics, and Republicans
Democrats, Populists and Prohibition
lists could jointly work for their coun |
try's good.
Then great capitalists like Carnegie |
who has so literally and intelligently
given to the cause of education, woulc
give other millions to lift the bodies o!
the public out of the mire, as they
have given millions to emancipate theiI
minds. What a monument TO a man, |
generosity and sagacity would be
stretch Of permanent highway built by
his iat.-Thomas Gay in the Chicago
RecOrdHerald.
Damages For Defective Road.
According to press dispatch Mich