The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1903-01-31
GOOD ROADS CONVENTION.

0H01 0FA10 ~ LANAAOAh
The INTELIIeENcER is In receipt
Of on invitation to attend a meeting
OF the National and international
Good Roads Convention at St. Louis
April p to May 2. This meeting is
preliminary to the great meeting at
the time Of the opening of the Worlds
Fair. Meetings of this kind may
serve the good purpose of arousing
interest and stimulating %endesyor,
but no direct results are to be ex-
pected.
The goods roads problem presents
more practical difficulties than any
other problem Of equal Importance
before the people Of the great agri-
cultural sections of the country. The
anomaly Of the thing consists in the
fact that, while the possession Of
good roads results in profit to the
possessors far beyond that Of the i'm
vestment of a like sum of money in
other enterprises, such as farming,
banking, or merchandising, the origi-
nal construction of such roads can
hardly be made a safe business propo-
sition. If any place or section OF
country wants a railroad, it can get it
by demonstrating that its business in
terests justify IL. Not so with
macadamized roads. If counties un-
dertake to build then at public ex-
pense, great bitterness is engendered
as soon as the question Of selecting a
route is preached. Every section of
the county wants the first road and
will not vote bonds unless the roads
lead in its direction. Few counties
except those with populous county
seats situated in the very middle Of
their counties, with 20 rival towns
and with a thousand other exceptional
conditions, ever succeed in building
up a macadamized road system by
special levy for the purpose. In some
states, counties grant road charters
to private corporations, permitting
them to collect toll at fixed rates
For main travelled roads this usually
proves a highly profitable Investment
to the corporations and a highly
beneficial public improvement for the
regions affected. But by and by &
sentiment against tall gates springs
up and erysializes. Then the counties
must purchase these roads or deal
with mobS.
Another plan, n adopted by many
counties 10 central Kentucky thirty
years ago, was for the county to con-
tribute from $3.50 to 81, 500 per mile
to any responsible n%eighborh0od com.
pany for the construction of macada.
mized roads from anywhere to any.
where else, if 10 the judgment Of the
county court the proposed roads
would be OF sufficient public impor
lance to justify the outlay, the neigh
borhood company paying all expens,
above the county contribution GU 0
monies derived FROM neighborhoo,
subscription. This plan looks fair OF
the face of it. but nothing was eve
devised by the wit Of man NOR
effective for e%ngendering local strif
and bitterness Those who lived o.
then existing raads would give moth
ing or little. Those who lived bacl
on private lanes subscribed LIBERAL
and gave right OF way. Thus tn
whole face of the country was changed
The last were made first and the frs
mdut last. mOSbOl Ulc
roads 10 Kentucky run back of, in
stead lof In front Of, the finest oil
homes and the finest old farmes Il
that state. Thus bitter neighborhoo
preiudices and feuds werei stimulated
The history Of hundreds of count
roads in that state is fuller OF strif
and stirring incident than the tale {
Troy divine.
The perfec ing OF public roads is
thing easily and prodtably accomplish
ed in highly centralized government
but 10 this country 1t will prove
most dificult matter. The difficult
OF it, however, should not induce IL
people to cease agitation aud abandc
attempt. 1t is an end that wi
Justify any cost.
THE REED SMOOT CASE.