The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-02-26
The GOOD ROADS CAUSE.

THE GOOD ROADS CAUSE.
The state association in aid of good
roads may be sure that 1t will continue
to receive the hearty and united sup
port of the press of Minnesota. We are
inclined to think that nothing has &C.
Cured more unfortunate or more hos.
tile to the progress of this movement
than the introduction in congress of
the abominable Brownlow bill provid-
Ing for national aid in the building or
highways. 1t would carry an appro-
priation of $24,o0O,Oo0 to be cut up.
among the several states, and 1t opens
vista of such unlimited expenditure
as only the most prof1igate congress.
could approve. ''d-,'-
If the states are ever to receive aid
from the national government in good
road making, it will be, as it should
be. only after they have demonstrated
their own willingness and putt their
hands into their own pockets. Just at
this time the necessary work Of Great
ing strong public opinion in favor Of
good roads Is impaired and impeded
by the scheme of national assistance.
No man puts forth his best efforts when.
he has hint that if he lets matters
alone somebody else will do his work
for him.. The most important thing at
this moment is to make the people of
every state feel that they must work,
legislate and contribute for improved
highways. When that is done. It will
be in order for them to ask for other
aid and to show that they have de-
served 1t. @.
We say without exaggeration that
there is not another issue before the
American people today So momentous
as that of good roads. Our wretched
highways cost our people more every
year than all the taxes that they pay
1t is perfectly easy to turn these roads
into smooth, solid, permanent high
$3.50 AAC OAAoAiSO HOuIu increase the
value of adjacent property by far
more than its entire cost, without con-
sidering the ameliorations that It
would bring and the charm that it
would add to country living. For such
an end as this the people to be bene-
hted Immediately may well contribute
What is needed in every state is a
law creating state highway commits
sion with a competent engineer, un
der whom all the improved roadways Of
the commonwealth shall be placed. He
should be made autocrat of the work
with the stipulation that nothing but
the best and most enduring quality of
roads shall be built. The state should
then offer to contribute from its treas
ury a certain proportion of the cost of
such roads in each county, after the
/ county itself had raised and paid the
balance. Under such an arrangement
as this we should build many miles Of
/ real roads every year. When the state
and the counties have done their share.
1t would be time enough to consider
whether the national government
should contribute or not.
For our own part, it seems to us that
| this is an affair with which the federal
| government has nothing to do. Our
roads are certainly our own concern.
The benefit from having them In good
condition is principally local. and so
| should be the incidence Of their cost.
Somewhere limit must be put to the
practice of running to the federal treas
ury for money to carry out all sorts of
| schemes OF monumental castliness. At
| any rate. the duty and burden of be-
| ginning the work rests clearly upon
| the people themselves in their capacity
| Of citizens Of the county and the state.
| The progress of this great and neees-
| sary reform should not be further hin
dered by holding out a gIittering hope
that the nation will do what our people
ought to do and will have to do for
| themselves.
George Washington would never
have done for war correspondent. u.