Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1904-06-30
VOL. XVIII.
Mississippi State News
Public Highways.

The chief topic of discussion be-
fore the Mississippi Business Mems
League in session at Jackon last
week was "Good Roads," and it
brought out a very interesting dis
cussion. The importance of better
public roads was fully emphasized
BY The delegates. and numerous sug-
gestions were made whereby the
roads of the State can be improved.
The first address was assigned TO
Prof. w. l.. Hutchison, director OIL
Mississippi agricultnralz.
station. Prof 4-.--g-4 - -n-
able to be present in person, as he
is now serving with the special COM
mittee appointed to locate the new
agricultural experiment stations,
but he sent an address to President
Mckee. from which We take the
following:
mississippi has about $4,000 miles
of public roads, but this great work
has no business head or manage
ment. An army has a general, ana
even a farm has a manager. If you
would have good roads in this state,
do those things that will result Ill gly'
ing us a good man to organize and di'
rect this work.
Some parts OF the public roads In
this State are properly located and
some are not. Some parts of these
roads are good all the time; some are
bad all the time; and still other dlV1s-
ions are bad for part OF the year
and good for a part of the year. Some
would represent them as being all bad,
but such is not the case. Practically,
all the people in the State know what
good roads are. Many of them know
what il is to be hemmed in for sea
son by bad roads. However those
very people may travel over the very
best of roads at other seasons OF the
year.
Some people get the idea that good
roads mean hard surfaced roads, and
they know that these are expensive.
What we really need, and should have
is good earth or dirt roads properly
located. shaped. graded and drained.
II we had 80 900 miles Of such roads
we would have many thousands OF
miles that would be good all the time,
and then make the bad places good
bv the use of other materials.
Farmers learn things by seeing
them. and they have centuries Of
training in this. Build object-lesson
earth roads in every county such as
al. ehnttld have Make
a plain and simple statement show
ing the cost. Farmers accept good
things when they read or hear oil
them.
Good roads are made by contract,
and during the past four or five years
much progress has been made in this
regard. Perhaps half the counties in
this State now work their roads by
contract. This is long step forward
sour roads have largely been To-
Gated by chance or accident. Nothing
is being done to show that they could
be better located in some sections.
This should be done with as little de-
lay as possible.
at paws sometimes to borrow
money. Nations borrow money, mu-
inequalities borrow money, individuals
borrow money. Bonds are issued TO
build capitols and school houses, to
nave streets. TO erect lighting plants.
70 build plants for furnishing supply
of water. and for sewerage. Good
roads constitute one of the most per-
manent improvements Good roads
enhance the value of property. They
cannot be built without some money,
and they perhaps should not be built
wholly on a cash basis. as future gen
eraions will be benefited by them and
will doubtless need them very much
worse than we do. II may not be our
duty To finish and complete this work.
but it is our duty to begin 1t and to
start right "