The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1904-12-01

but such roads, and if they had ever
thought about the question of good
roads they believed that the cost was
prohibitiye, and therefore made no
ganeral demand for improvement
The coming of the bicycle marked
the beginning of the new era, and the
spread of the bicycle craze resulted in
the spread of the good-roads cam
peign. Better roads were built here
and there at cost so small as TO as
tOnish the country people, who soon
found that the extra expense was more
than offset by the saving on wagons
and stock. The demand for good
roads in all sections of the country
became greater and greater day by
day, and State and local commissions
were created to deal with the cues
ton. Then the United States Gov
eminent took hand, the War De-
partment lending it's engineers tOsolve
the problems of bodybuilding and the
Department of Agriculture lending
its experts to investigate road build,
ing materials. etc. Next came the
automobile, which could penetrate
even farther into the rural districts
than the bicycle, and the good-roads
crusade was carried still farther back
into rho onup+iaS until 70 Jo,- ~,
question of good roads is discussed
and thoroughly dissected in every
section of the United States.
The good-roads campaign in Mary
land has increased in warmth year by
year, and the fact that the good road
now has thousands of earnest sup
porters in this State was demonstrate
ed at Annapolis last winter, when the
Legislature passed bill proposing Il
Constitutional amendment which
gives the State authorities power to
make appropriations to the several
counties for goOd-roads work. If the
amendment is adopted, the impetus
to road building in Maryland will be
immediate and very great. In the
meantime, however, the counties of
the State have not idly awaited State
aid. In all sections many first-class
roadways have been built within the
last few years out of county funds.
The Eastern Shore has many such
roads, and Southern Maryland and
Western Maryland also. Baltimore
county!took a really advanced step a
few years back when it selected a
competent engineer to take charge of
the road work, and under his super
vision several miles of the very finest
kind of roads have been built. Bdlti-
more county is also taking the lead
again under the special law passed by
the last Legislature allowing certain
State moneys TO be diverted for road
building purposes, and has requested
that the State Geological Survey
Commission furnish the surveys for
forty-seven and three-quarter miles of
roads to be improved. Caroline coun-
ty is the latest heard from in the
spread of this movement In the opin-
ion of those who understand the sit
uation, there can be no question which
is of more vital Importance to the
people of the State at large, and es-
pecially to the people of the State at
large, and especially to the people
who live in the various counties, than
this question of good roads, and the
fact that good start has been made
on the Improvement of Maryland's
roads is one on which the State and
the counties should be congratulated.
even while they are being urged to
spend more money on the public ar
teries Of travel.