The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1903-10-08
A NATIONAL PROBLEM.
solution of the Road Question should
Engage the Attention of
Our Hest Men.

1t is claimed by some that the build
ing Of roads is strictly local matter,
that the benefits are entirely local,
and that the whole expense should be
borne by the local committees. This is
not the view taken by the most pro-
Sressive countries OF Europe. There
the building and maintenance of roads
Is one of the important functions OF
government. France, Germany and
switzerland are covered by a network
OF the finest roads liz the world. AS a
result, the western hall OF Europe is
the pleasure ground OF the world. The
revenue derived from tourists is one
OF the principal sources OF income for
people OF nearly all classes. But with
out these good roaus this revenue
could never be secured.
The aim of the people in those coun-
tries is to make their grand noun
tains, their beautiful lakes, their love-
ly valleys, their castles and monu-
ments easily accessible by means OF
fine, hard, smooth roads.
What a contrast appears when we
turn to our own country. We have
the finest scenery in the world in the
great mountains of the west, but it is
practically inaccessible. Except as
they get glimpses of it from car win
dows, the grandeur of our mountains
and canyons, and the beauty of our
mountain lakes, streams and valleys
are sealed book to the general trav-
tufI al, "a
the case so long as steep, stony noun
tain trails are the only means OF
travel beyond the railway lines. In
deed, much OF our finest scenery can
not be reached, even by such trails.
If the United States government, in
cooperation with the states and local
communities, would build great. smooth
highways, making the wonders and
beauties OF our great west easily ac-
cessible to tourists, in lew years the
tide OF travel would be turned west
ward. Not only would millions of dol
lars spent annually by Americans in
Europe be kept at home, but other
millions would be brought to our
shores by tourists from foreign lands.
country are not the only things which
are made inaccessible by the lack of
| good roads. Our places of historic
interest are mostly in the same cate
| CORY, Take, for instance, Monticello,
home and tomb of the immortal JEFF
ferson. Few Americans even know
where 1t is, much less visit it. Mon
10
city of Charlottesville, Va, which is
on two great trunk lines. Why, then.
is it so little known? Because three
miles of about as bad road as can be
| imagined lie between it and the rail-
! way station. One cannot travel over
that narrow, steep, rough, muddy
country road without a feeling of
shame. AT present an effort is being
made by small band of patriotic
men and women to build what ia
known as the Jefferson Memorial road.
| to make Monticello accessible to the
public, but only a beginning has been
made, and they are finding it uphill
work to raise funds to complete the
| task.
But, after all, the encouragement Of
travel is not the most important rea-
son for the building of good roads.
They are absolutely necessary for the
prosperity and happiness of the peo-
pie The era OF railroad building on a
large scale is practically at an end
In the course of commercial and in
dustrial development we have reached
a point where the great problem of
improving the common roads must be
faced. We can no longer treat it as
local question. We have tried that for
three-quarters of a century, and in
nearly every section of the country
the miserable results are apparent.
The good roads problem will never be
solved locally. 1t is too vast. 1t can
be solved only by the genius, the
wealth, the labor and the patriotism
OF the whole people A great national
movement is necessary. In coopera-
ton of the nation, the states, the coun-
ties and the local communities lies the
solution of the problem.