The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1904-09-17
CANADA IS AHEAD OF Us.
Roads and Road Laws Of Our Nc nth
ern Neighbor Are Far SUE
periog to Our owas

u Is subject Tor frequent comment On
the part OF travellers that the roads OF
Europe are far superiaE 70 those OF the
United States: s-.6 this result is gem
orally attributed to tie system Of gov
eminent aid and supervision which pre-
walls il nearly all European nations.
But it is not so generally known that
our nearest neighboe. Canada. is also
ahead of as. not only IN the character
Of the roads but ia the matter OF road
| legislation.
Hon a. w. Campbell. highway COM
| missioner of Ontario. Is an enthusiast
On The subject oR good roads, and az the
same time a very able and practical pub
Tic official. He is quite wen known TO
the good roads people Of the United
States, as He has attended and addressed
q number Of important conventions in
this country. In recent report he says:
Good roads are essential TO the full
I development OF agriculture. In 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 Coed roads
| are not a 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. If we must have canals and rail-
ways, then we must have good country
| roads. " has been taken for granted
| that IL the country as a whole construct
| cd canals and 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 100000 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 a just effort
on the part Of the government to CO.
/ operate in procuring them.
THE object of the present measure
/ is net so much to aid by the gratuitous
distribution OF money. but has for its
aim a nobler purpose. While it aims TO
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 and 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
its rightful function as part Of the adj
ministratiye system il providing por-
ton of the cost of making roads and
distributing the money among the diff
| ferent municipalities entitled to it.
I This function can be performed BY the
| provincial government only"
/ In Nova Scotia nearly Is years age
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 on the local communities was
a complete failure.
/ Even away out in British Columbia
there are many fine roads which are
said to be "the delight of tourists" All
these are built and kept up by the gov
eminent.