Mower County transcript., 1904-09-28
CANADA is AHEAD, OF US.
Roads and Road Laws Of Our North.
''< ern Neighbor Are Far su-
=, -~-'>' i pertor to Our Own.

,Fs2t
.,s 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; land this result lis gen.
orally attributed to the system Of gov
:ernment aid and supervision which pre-
wallis in nearly all European nations.
But it ID not 80 generally known that
our nearest neighbor, Canada, Ia also
ahead OF us, not only in. the character
of the roads, but In the matter OF road
legis1ation. 70 :, titss Il p i:*@:f 1Ec'*f3
Hon. A. W. Campbell, highway con-
missioner. OF Ontario is an enthusiast
on the subject ok good roads, and att1e
same time q very able and practical pub
Hc ofnc1al. 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 M n
this country. In arecent report he says:
Good roads are essential to the faa
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 benefit to any one class OF the
community. They . are Of universal
value. This is matter Of which, too
narrow q view has been taken in On
tario II we must have canals and rail-
ways, then we must have good country
roads. It has been taken for granted
that if the country as whole construct
ed canals ard subsidized railways, the
common ROADS could take care of them
selves. But this has not been the case.
"The broader aspect of the question
has recently been given prominence by
the decision of the provincial govern
ment to appropriate $1,000,0O0 for road
improvement. This, for lack of a better
name, has been termed government
aid or assistance 1t is 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
d1u a. uOU1GI pOoC w fAIlC ~ oAu4S ~
encourage the doing of work which is
acknowledged by all as being an impor-
tant and necessary service. its prime
object is to equalize and tighten the
cost. The unfairness end injustice OF
the present system Of taxation for high
! way construction is so noticeable as to
! be a matter Of wonderment that some
| step of this kind has not been ere this
| devised by government, or compelled
by the people.
"The government IS only exercising
it's rightful function as part of the ad'
ministrative system in providing por'
ton of the cost of making roads anc
distributing the money among the diff
ferent municipalities entitled to it
This function can be performed by thu
provincial government only"
In Nova Scotia nearly Is years agt
| the provincial government began thu
appropriation of funds to improve th'
roads, and the plan has proven entirel,
successful where the old system Of de-
pending on the local communities wa!
a complete failure.
Even away out in British Columbi:
there are many fine roads which ar
said to be "the delight of tourists AL
! these are built and kept up by the gov
ernment