The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1902-02-18
THE GOOD ROADS CONGRESS.

/ 4G@SD 1870
inspiring and practical, the object
lessons in road building striking, the
attendance large, the enthusiasm
marked.
And as a result of this meeting we
believe that two faots-and very i'm
portant ones they are-have been
fixed in the minds of North Carolina
people,
rirst, that the good roads move.
ment and the good school movement
are so united that together they will
rise or fall, prosper or decline. Until
we get better roads, a full attend
ance of school children cannot be ex-
pected and of what use is a long
term unless the children attend?
Second, without roads a steady de-
cline in population, wealth and in
huenoe oonfronts our rural districts /;
on the other hand, with improved
highways, farmers will get the ad-
vantages of cheaper transportation,
farm lands will advance in value,
the social life of the country will be
improved, better schools and rural
free mail delivery will be assured,
and twentieth century improvements
and advantage Chat have not been
able to get over the old, slow mud
roads from the town to the country
will be carried to the rural districts.
We must have better roads-that
is plain. But how? A larger prop
erty tax for the purpose should be
levied. We believe that the increase
in value of farm lands alone would
make the road tax a splendid fnan-
oial investment for the farmer. And
this increase in land values, of
course, only represents the advan-
tages of cheaper transportation,
better social conditions, etc. The
Massachusetts, plan of State and
county aid has many good features.
And of course our oonvicts should
be set to building roads. Where
necessary, bonds should be issued.
Mind you, we do not approve of
reckless bond issuing, but for suoh
matters as better schools and better
roads, it is often wise. This is a
new country, and the improvements
that we are making + TO help
future generations as we'll as our
own why then should they not help
us in paying for the good school
houses and the good roads that they
are to use?
National aid may be desirable,
but we think it will be years before
it is given.
But these matters will be discussed
at greater length in future issues of
THE PROGRESSIVE FARMER and we
hasten nov to a report of the meet
ing held here last week.
THE SPEECHES.
The address of Col. w. 81. Moore
at the opening of the Congress was
one OF the best of the session. He
realized that the great pre- blem is,
how to get the money. There are
three ways of doing this, he said
() a general property tax, for good
roads benefit everybody and enhance
the value of all property (2) by issu.
ing bonds 81 by State aid, as in
Massachusetts where the State pays
one third, the county one -third, and
the farmers whose lands abut on
the road the remaining third of the
COST of road Improvement, or as in
Massachusetts where the State pays
so per cent. of the total cost, the
county 35 per cent, the farmer Is
per cent. Our roads should be wider,
he said, not less than "a feet, and 80
feet is better. Col. Moore strongly
urged burnt clay, or gumbo, as a
surface for country roads, "Why,
with it, for $500 a mile" said he,
'you can have a road surface almost
as good as macadam." A clipping
from the Review of Reviews on this
subject is published elsewhere in
this issue.
A new idea was introduced when
Gen. M. G. Butler urged national aid
for good reads. Congress votes
millions annually for the improve.
ment of rivers and harbors, for ex-
pertinent stations and agricultural
colleges. 1t is just as constitutional,
he argued, to vote money to build
good roads, and the people would be
as greatly benefited as by the ex-
penditure of money for the other