The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1904-08-25
CANADA IS AHEAD OF Us.
Roads and Road Laws Of Our North
Nn 0eighbor Are Far Co.
perior to Our Own.

It is subject for frequent comment on
the part Of travellers that the roads Of
Europe are far superior to those Of the
United States; and this result is gen.
orally attributed to the system Of gov
eminent aid and supervision which pre-
walls in nearly all European nations.
But 1t is not SO generally known that
our nearest neighbor, Canada, is also
ahead Of us, not only in the character
OF the roads, but In the matter of road
legislation.
Hon. A. w. Campbell, highway COM
missioner of Ontario, is an enthusiast
on the subject Of good roads, and at the
same time very able and practical pub
lie official. He is quite we'll known to
the good roads people of the United
States, as he has attended and addressed
. number Of important conventions in
this country. In arecent report he says:
Good roads are essential to the full
development Of agriculture. In a coun-
try such as Ontario, dependent upon
agriculture, this means that good roads
are of very great importance to the
towns and cities as we'll. Good roads
are not q benefit to any one class of the
community. They are Of universal
value. This is matter of which too
narrow view has been taken in On
tario. II We must have canals and rail-
ways, then We must have good country
roads. 1t has been taken for granted
that II the country as whole construct
ed canals and subsidized railways, the
common roads could take care of them
selves But this has not been the casa.
"The broader aspect of the question
has recently been given prominence by
the decision Of the provincial govern
ment to appropriate 81, 900, 900 for road
improvement. This, for lack of a better
name, has been termed government
aid or assistance 1t is q recogni-
ton of the value Of good roads to every
citizen Of the country, and Just effort
on the part of the government to CO.
operate in procuring them.
"The object of the present measure
is not so much to aid by the gratuitous
distribution of money, but has for its
aim a nobler purpose. While it aims 10
encourage the doing Of work which is
acknowledged b? all as being an impor-
tant and necessary service. its prime
object is to ekdalize and tighten the
cost. The unf-irness and injustice Of
the present sys5em of taxation for high
way construct. IN is so noticeable as to
be matter o. wonderment that some
step Of this ktad has not been ere this
devised by government, or compelled
by the people
The government Is only exercising
its rightful fEnction as q part Of the adj
ministrativesA ystem in providing a,por'
tion Of the sost of making roads and
distributing 1he money among the diff
ferent municipalities entitled to it.
This functieai can be performed by tho
provincial government only" ''=
In Nova Scotia nearly Is years ago
the provincial government began the
appropriation Of funds to improve the
roads, and the plan has proven entirely
successful where the old system of de-
pending Gil the local communities was
a complete failure.
Even avay out In British Columbia
there are many hne roads which are
said to be "the delight Of tourists" All
these are built and kept up by the gov
eminent.