The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1903-04-30
GOOD ROADS AGITATION.
Interest In This important Question
-. Necessary.


,eceiying extensive attention through
ant the state. The rapid growth 'of
the state particularly in the farming
sections is arousing public opinion to
the Importance aud necessity of TAX
inc immediate steps for Improvement
n the highways. The widespread ex-
tent of the good roads" agitation is
seen from the earpestness with which
some sister states are graphing with
the ouestion--a national convention
AT 81. Louis and the state convention
called by the governor of Iowa. Gov.
uerried in thoroughly imbued with the
Importance of taking some action IL
this state In his message to the legls-
lature he said;
Charles Sumner once said; "The
road and schoolmaster are the two
most important agents in advancing
civilization" In a message to con-
gress President. Mckinley urged tho
Importance of good roads, saying:
There is a widespread interest in the
Improvement of our public highways
at the present time and the depart.
ment of agriculture Is cooperating
with the people In each locality in
making the best possible roads" Peo-
ple in each locality In making the best
possible roads" People generally are
beginning to realize that good roads
not only have a positive money value
10 the farmers and to the towns peo-
ole, but a social and moral value by
virtue Of the convenience, comfort and
refining influences which good roads
diffuse throughout the rural regions.
Goods roads, like good streets, make
habitations along them desirable.
GOOD roads economic time and force
in transportation of products. Good
roads reduce the wear and tear Oh
horses and wagons. A farm twenty
miles from town, on good road, Is
for all practical purposes no farther
from market than another farm ten
miles distant on poor road. Good
roads raise the value OF farm lands
and the products Of the farm. 1t ha'
been carefully estimated that SO per
cent of the tonnage handled by railroad
steamboat or express must be carried
in wagon over highway. 1t is evil
dent that the problem of good roads.
while of primary Importance to the
farmer is one of tremendous import
anee to the general public. This fact
has been recently recognized by more
than half a dozen states where crude
laws and antiquated systems Of high
way Improvement have been sup
planted with highway commissioners
having competent jurisdictions and
exercising intelligent supervision over
road affairs. y
The Importance OF this subject has
been emphasized by the establishment
Of rural free mail delivery "a service
which President Roosevelt says "ts
no longer in the experimental stage;
Il has become fixed policy" ITS IS
justified" says the president, both by
the financial results and by the prac-
teal benefits to our rural population;
i brings the men who live on the soil
into closer relations with the active
business world; ii keeps the farmer In
daily touch with the markets; IL is a
potential educational force; 1t en-
hances the value OF farm property,
makes farm life far pleasanter and less
Isolated and will do much to check the
undesirable current from country TO
city" The daily newspaper with the
market reports, is no longer a stranger
In the home of the farmer favored
with free mail delivery. But these
modern advantages can only be OBJ
tanned through a system of good roads.
1t IS an established rule of the post
Office department that the establish
ment of good roads Is prerequisite
Of the establishment of rural free de-
livery service" The great obstacle in
the way of free rural mail routes Is the
absence of roads over which carriers
can cover sufficient territory In given
time with regularity at all seasons III
the year. -.
In this as we'll as In nearly every
other respect, our state Is as fortu-
nately situated as perhaps any other
state in the union Here good roads
can be made at small expense, What
We need Is up-to-date methods. In
this connection would recommend
the abolition of the primeval custom
of working out" the poll and road tax.
This custom originated at time when
money was scarce and the scattered
pioneers were desperately In need Uf
some kind of trail through the will
derness. The we'll known farce OF
working out the road taxes has been
we'll expressed by Sam Walter Foss In
his recollections of his boyhood on the
farm:
When We Work Our Tax Out.
oh, our life was tough and fearful, and
its toll was often fearful
And often we grew faint beneath the
But there came glad vacation. and a
wv, sweet alienation
When we used to work our tax out on
the road
When we used 20 work our tax out, then
we felt the 3oys OF leisure,
And we felt no more the prick OF
labors goad;
There we shared the golden treasure Of
sweet rest In fullest measure.
When we used to work our tax out on
the road.
When we used to work our tax out Qf I
let the bottom facts out).
we had somnolent contentment and
repose:
With no toll or work to cumber US, our
rest was sweet and slumberous,
ANA In deep DELICIOUS dreaming did we
doze
Ire drowsiness OF languid rest DER every
man was creeping,
ana In calm serene contentment We all
threw down our load;
careless OF life wall and weeping. every
blessed man was sleeping,
when we used to work our tax out on
the road.
Y