Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1902-07-31
AS TO GOOD ROADS.
This Important Matter Is Now
Live and Growing Issue In
North Carolina.

During the past two decades the
good roads movement in North
Carolina has taken more definite
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 it's earlier
stages resisted the advancement Of
this crying need, are now it's most
earnest advocates, because, like other
public necessities, it has proven, be-
You'd theory or cavil, that it is abso-
lutely essential to the best progress
of a nation, a State or even a local
community.
It is a matter Of congratulation
that the people of u State have al
ready passed through the stage of
education as to the :'benefits" 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 a 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 public highways are
improved. It is therefore useless to
employ arguments upon that part of
the controversy, because it 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
iject evidence their determination to
reap the benefits of good roads which
past experience has brought to the
more wealthy and progressive cen
tiers 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 a people and our
progress as a State. However, in
the progress which our people are to
make in road improvement, there
must be a gradual improvement
from the least expensive roads to a
System which will be substantial and
which the public sentiment will de
: Inland, as the resources of our COM
.Emunities will allow.
II But we must not lose sight of the
fact that earth roads or common dirt
1roads "a be brought to a high de
gree Of perfection and be made te
yield surprisingly satisfactory results
if proper care and attention are Civ
, en- to their location, drainage and re
pair. GA child must crawl before il
can learn to walk" seems to apply
with some force to the present roat
IS situation in North Carolina. While
o Of course, some of u wealthie
to counties are spending thousands Q
'e dollars yearly for building and main
tanning public roads and are "pas
masters in the art of road building
yet the infection has not becomeg ger
era1 in the State, and out of our 9
counties, this intelligent moder
road Improvement is carried on i
probably not more than a dozen SCI
tons. A person has only to Wis.
Asheville, or Winston, OF Charlotte
:; or Raleigh, Oh Wilmington to di'
cover that in any section of Mort
Caroliua, from the lowlands bordel
ing the ocean, through the more ell
= waited middle section, to the rugged
mountainous counties, road improv
ment to a high state of perfection
=, possible, and even profitable. e
q will also be impressed with the ia
that improved highways andincrea
ing prosperity go hand in hand; the
are twin brothers and r not to
separated; to some extent each is Il
cause and each is the effect.
vi The North Carolina Good Roa
Association recently formed at r
leigh, has undertaken with earne
mess this. campaign of education !
hotter nuhlic roads in the State