The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1905-06-10
THE PARAMOUNT QUESTION.

IL IS TAKEN LOT kIdnteu tnht every citi1cu 10
interested in the discussion of the good roads
question and the proposition that the Govern
ment of the United States shall operate with
the states in highway construction and i'm
provement. There are always political ques-
tions of importance, of course but the ques-
tion of good common roads is paramount to
them all as an economic proposition, because
it reaches all classes and callings in town and
country. 1t is pregnant with interest to the
consuming population of towns and cities, and
to railroads, manufacturers and tradesmen as
we'll. But the weightier consideration is that
church, school and farm interests must inevi-
tably be retarded while road conditions remain
as they are today. If the American home is
to be preserved, the American farm must be
fostered. The logic Of this deduction will
readily present itself. Ifignorance is the parent
of superstition and superstition shuts out the
light from the soul that should be free, then
the progress of civilization and the wholesome
growth of the religion of the Lord depends
upon the universal spread of education in the
land The higher schools and colleges are do
ing grand work, but the free common schools
are the more important, because they are the
schools of the masses in which are laid the
deep and lasting foundations for coming lives
of usefulness and for the besterment of man.
kind. The common schools are the schools of
the rural population. Whatever tends to bet
ter these schools to make them stronger and
Of higher curriculum, to give greater efficiency
and better discipline and to make them easily
accessible all the time should be the concern
of every patriotic citizen. Nothing can posi-
bly, conduce so much to these results as inn
proved highways.
Neither rural church or school, nor yetlthe
farm, can flourish where impossible roads
abound, and if these cannot flourish our free
institutions will soon or late topple and fall.
The question of national aid to good roads is
one the Government cannot afford to ignore
much longer. The necessity for it is so appar-
ent that it is without the domain of contro-
versy. Statesmen and philosophers know that
good roads develop good people. Improve
ment of highways means not only advance
ment of commercial interests, but also moral
welfare. The highways are the paths along
which civilization and development move.
The proposition embodied in the Brownlow-
1dtlmer DliS 10 nave tu6 uduOH ulu JIG
states has already been favorably reported by
the Agricultural Committee of the United
States Senate. Any citizen can get copy of
the Senate Hearings on the subject Senate
Document No. 2O4) by writing to his Senator
for it. The question is before the American
people. It will be decided in their favor ifthey
are energetic in pressing it on their Senators
and Representatives in Congress.
LAST SUNDAY Rev. DR.. A. w. Mcconnell,
pastor of Clifton Heights Presbyterian Church,
Des Moines Ia, one of the most fashionable
congregations in that city, requested that his
members attend divine service in the plainest
garb they possessed. To this end he issued the
following notice. ITO the Members of Cliff
ton Heights Presbyterian Church-Please note
that persons attending services are requested
to wear plain and inexpensive clothing, in
order that no one, however humble, may be
embarrassed" When asked for further ex-
PLANTATION of his opinion DR.. Mcconnell said
that he had no desire to be taken for sensa-
tionalist. but after long thought upon the sub
ject he was now fully persuaded that the dress
issue is the great barrier between the leading
churches and the poorer class