The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-08-18

less JndQ Der cent. u Tie tOAAiAhCAA
road mileage is macadamized or sur
faced, providing a durable road for all
seasons OF the year. The present meth-
DDS are without system, Intelligent su-
pervision, or business management, ana
in truth would not be endured in any
other department of our governmental
affairs. Long custom and habit seem
to have Injured our people to these
ancient methods, so primitive and our-
densOnne. that they bear them with a
patience that would make Job seem
restless. We boast of our enterprise
and progress in every other channel OF
trade, and insist upon the most up-to-
| date improvements in every otner Hne
of our development We span rivers.
pierce mountains. and scale the heights
with ribbons of steel to supply the de-
mand for comfort, rapidity, and the
lowest unit of cost in TRANSPORTATION
We REQUIRE floating palaces with enor-
nous hatchways for transport over our
Waterways We contribute in vast land
grants, money grants, loans, bonds, do
ma tiOns, guarantees, privileges anC
franchises to aid in securing these ad-
Vantages, and yet we go on year fol-
lowing year enduring the embaTaSS-
ments and discomforts of bad, unim-
proved public roads with a content
ment that passeth all understanding.
When we think about it, every dollar of
the hundreds of millions appropriated
for rivers and harborS, and every acre
and subsidy granted to encourage the
buildings of railroads. would be futile
were it not for the common roads and
highways of the country. Render them
impossible of passage for fortnight
and the wheels of commerce would
stop, looms and spindles would cease
to reVolve, railroad cars would stand
idle in the yards, and merchant vessels
would lay in the harbor for want of
cargoes to carry to their ports.
The removal of the raw material
from the forest and field, and the mill
and the mine is the first, and up to the
present time the most costly and diff
cult step. There is not state or ter
ritory that is not retarded in it's growth
and development on account of unim-
proved highways.
1T has been stated that the building
of steam and electric railroads has rem
dered the construction of permanent
highways unnecessary. This is not
true; they have superseded for a time
the Improvement of our roads, but
they can never supply the necessity for
them. You had just as well assert that
the electric car in the city taxes the
place of the street or sidewalk
The public road is the most common
of all interests; it is promotive of trade
and commerce, the adjuster of freight
tariffs. the always on time ready, open
way for all the people. 1t leads to the
church. the school, the library, the
town. the market. the mill, the store
elal gathering. 1t places the farmer in
touch with the events CS the world
through the rural mail delivery. with
the daily paper, market reports latest
periodicals and magazines containing
the best current thought of the hour
II equalizes trade for the merchant and
lnsures a steady market for the farmer
There is almost universal agreement
as to the many advantages, and the
need of good roads, the serious problem
is, How to get them We have followed
the old methods, patching up and mend
ing here and there until il seems al
most impossible to conceive that there
IS anything better The nOn-eOneeru of
the average business man has prevented
him from giving active thought to the
subject, with a determination to solve
it. Time and experience has demon
strated that the present system is
Wasteful and wholly void of beneficial
results. Our commercial interests re-
quire that every business man give sup
port to the movement for dura BILE roads
/ by cooperating the municipal and pub
lie interest together with the boards of
trade, chamber of commerce. manufac-
turing associations. transpOrtatiO and
other business organizations with the
agricultural and kindred interests for
the establishment and maintenance of
a comprehensive system of public road
Improvement in their respective states
and counties. This can be accomplished
under what is known as the State Aid
Plan now in successful operation in
the states of New Jersey. .Massa chusetts
! New ok. ana 0Onnectlcut- In1S plan
is based upon the principle that COM
mercial as well as agricultural interests
are benefited by improved highways and
equalzeS the burden or cost by appOr-
tioning the same to the state, county
and district. 1t provides for a state
highway commission or engineering de-
partment. insuring proper supervision,
construction and maintenance and gives
to the people. in return for the money
expended, good public roads. which they
inc f,ff ion
shall not attempt to explain this plan.
It's details may be brought out in the
discussion which is to follow. l will say
however. that the highway divisions of
these several states are in charge of
most excellent and practical men, ready
and willing at all times to give to any
one on request all information as to
the successful operation of their work.
The office of road inquiry. department
of agriculture, Washington, D. c., and
the National Good Roas association
are ready and willing to aid you and
to furnish bulletins containing technical
and general information. touching every
phase of the road subject There is no
acceptable reason why each member of
this congress should not post himself
Thoroughly as to the merits of this plan
and upon his return to his home, by
earnest endeavor inspire his people to
adopt the principles applicable to his
state and put them in active operation
TT has been argued with the per-
suasiveness of a Paul, that the national
government should lend its aid to the
construction of public highways. If
the government can expend vast appro-
priations for the improvement of rivers
and harbors, lend it's aid to build rail-
roads which are but another class of
public highways. if it can expend mil
lions of dollars in the Philippines and
Porto Rico and the monies of the Gu
bans in the construction of wagon
roads if If can deliver the mails signal
the weather modernize farming foster
and encourage manufacturing by tariffs
and aid and promote trade and trans
portat ton in divers other ways, what
substantial reason is there for not Civ
ing aid to the building of roads and
highways. the most common and useful
of all interests it can conserve. This
phase of the subject is worthy of your
Investigation and if it has your ap-
proval you should enlist the active sup