Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1898-1906, 1903-10-14
GOOD ROADS.

EOR the last ten years the question
Il ofroad improvement has received
good deal OF attention from the leg
islators in the eastern states, notably
in Massachusetts, and New Jersey.
Careful study of the road question in
these states soon developed the fact
that the counties and towns were do.
ing little, and in many cases nothing,
and that the roads were gradually be.
coming worse instead OF better. In
Massachusetts the idea was first con-
ceived OF having the state and civil
subdivision thereof cooperate in tie
improvement OF the roads. A state law
embodying this principle was adopted
in New Jersey about the same time as
in Massachusetts,, and for the last ten
years remarkable progress has been
made in these two states.
The truth is the great body OF the
farmers of tie land are slow in de.
manding what they are justly entitled
to. Had the same necessity as the
want OF good roads among farmers
existed in relation to the manufactur-
ing, mining or commercial interests
OF the country, such necessity would
have long since been recognized and
met by adequate appropriations from
congress. The tillers Of the soil do
not work in concert for their own ad-
vancement. BY the census OF 1900
the whole number OF people above the
age of ten years engaged in gainful
occupations in the United States was
1904, 1T. OF this number 1881, 765
were engaged in agricultural pursuits.
Noother specified occupation employs
30 many. The manufacturing and
mechanical pursuits employ only T.
!OS5, 1892 persons; trade and transporta-
ton, 4,766.964, and professional ser.
vice, l,25S,739. And yet the farmers
OF the country, who contribute more to
its permanent prosperity than all other
classes combined, have the smallest
amount OF consideration in the mat.
ter of congressional appropriations.
In all the history of the legislation Of
the country few efforts have been
made to equalize the benefits OF con-
gressional appropriations. Until the
rural mail routes were established a
citizen living in the county rarely re.
ceiyed direct benefits from the money
expended by the government, except
that for the agricultural department.
The commerce OF the country felt
the exuberance OF fresh and lusty life
and vigor from the improvement Of
the rivers and harbors, but the exuber.
ance would have been vastly increased
had half the money appropriated for
rivers and harbors been applied to aid
in the improvement and maintenance
Of the public roads, the very founda.
ton Of commerce.
1t must not be imagined that any
one purposes that the government
shall enter upon the work OF building
public highways without the cooper
alton of the state, county or other pc.
litical subdivision. The policy OF the
government should be to help those
communities that help themselves;
to stimulate action and enterprise,
rather than to repress it by appropri-
ating money to those communities
that do nothing for themselves.
A meeting was held in Spokane last
week and several minor meetings are
being held in every county. A steady
movement in this direction will ulti.
mately result in the Lawmakers recog-
nizing the demand and need and use.
fully appropriate funds to inspire
method in the attack Of this problem.
Following are the eso.u,ions adopt
ed at the Spokane meeting:
National and state aid towards roads.
A state highway commissioner.
Conyicts to crush stone for road
purposes.
An Endorsement OF the road law
passed by the last legislature.
These are the recommendation OF