Middletown transcript., 1903-01-31
GOOD ROADS WORK

"There is no disputing the fact that IL
building OF goo Is road by county or b
a state is an economic measure pure an
simple. 1t is not difficult to figure tn
saving that results from making road
passable every day in the year-a savin
of time and horsefesh.
'"The agitation in this state for an &C
to provide for business-like care of tn
roads is growing and the demand is on,
that ought to be needed by the Genera
Assembly. Two or more road bills ar
now before the General Assembly fo
consideration. One of the first things t.
bear in mind in connection with the con
sideration of a road law is to provid
against an large expenditure for salaries
tits not necessary at all to have an expen
sive corps of engineers and assistants t.
do the work. One competent man at the
head OF the department of roads-if such
branch of the state government is t.
be created-would be sufficient. Under
the direction Of this head the work coulo
| be done we'll and econmically, provided
th right kind of man was selected.
The state is not large and there would be
no difficulty in one man keeping in touch
with the road system.
"What is needed is systematic scheme
that would bring about the completion oI
certain amount of work each year, and
in way that would produce the best re.
suits in the shortest possible time. By
improving the roads that connect with
the main highways or turnpikes or that
lead to railroad stations much could be
accomplished in few years. The pro-
posed state road is fine proposition, yet
the first need OF users of the roads is to
have the side or connecting roads put in
good order. Whatever is done in the
way of the passage of an act should pro-
vide for the best results at the least pos
sible expenditure OF money for salaries.
The matter of road building is pretty
well understood. and an intelligent di-
recting head should he able, backed by
a sufficient appropriation, to accomplish
excellent results.
SIN writing OF good roads, and espec-
tally in connection with the Hon. W. P.
Brownlow's bill to provide government
assistance for road building in the several
states, Mr.. ]. B. Killebrew says:
"Say what we please about the infu-
ence OF public schools, the press, the pull
pit, the platform and other institutions
that mark the civilized progress of man.
kind, yet all these are more or less de-
pendent upon the facilities of intercourse
between the people. In fact it is an
undeniable truth that civilization means
labor in some form and labor is the abil-
ity to move things from place to place
and its efficiency depends upon the ease
with which they are moved. No nation
has ever yet achieved permanent renown
without good roads or ever built them
and regretted it afterwards. No COM
munity in possession of good roads would
be willing to surrender them upon the
repayment of their cost and maintenance.
OF all the expenditures made by aggre-
gated bodies or by government agencies,
while it may not be the least felt, it |
produces the greatest good and the great
sst satisfaction to the greatest number.
Everybody uses good roads; the mil
ionaire and the beggar, the black and
he white, the lame and the blind, women
md children, all enjoy and participate in
he advantages and blessings of good
Dads. They are the morning star of
'rogress; they are the fountain heads of
rade and commerce; they are the ave-
lues over which pass the main agencies
or the dissemination of knowledge and
he increase of intelligence, as we'll as the
njoyments of social intercourse in rural
fe. They provide the means for the
erfdrmance of public duty; of reaching
'cal markets or shipping points on the
always. They serve more country
eople in the aggregate than the rail-
Dads themselves.
"Here we have clear exposition, in a
w words, of what good roads mean to
le country. The rapid increase in the
ileage of electric roads, the multiplica-
on of motor vehicles, and all that sort
thing, have emphasized the need of g
etter roads. They are not for pleasure a
ders alone, but the farmers and others e
gagged in transportation Of goods are i
'e ones most directly interested. The
bject is admittedly one of the first i'm {
,rtance, and Delaware should at least t
Ike step in the direction of showing a
at it is anxious to have its highways a
ade approximately what they ought
be" ."-Morntag News.