Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1905-03-24

wasted energy in the transportation
of the products of our farms, gardens,
orchards and factories to market rep
resents millions of dollars annually.
This financial loss is by no means the
only one to be taken into account.
Bad roads exert depressing inufience
towards the building up of strong,
intellectual rural population. En-
vironment has a potent influence for
good or for bad in the moral aud men
tai status of our country folk. Good
roads and good society are infiexibly
interviewer. Good roads in poor
section OF country bring better
general environment than do bad
roads in an especially good section.
Thus movement for good roads is
both utilitarian and humanitarian
in its tendency.
Everyone is fully cognizant of the
many disagreeable features of bad
road, but unfortunately few can agree
upon the best means of obvihting the
diff ,ulty. 1t is distant day when
we shall enjoy the privilege of a
general system of metal roads, but
to this end our energies should be
directed. Temporizing with roads
may be an Indispensable expedient
for the present. We should begin,
however, to lay the foundation for
permanently improved roads. This
will require the adoption of an lntelli-
gent sytem of road construction. If
counties can only afford TO build a
mile each year, let this be firSt.c class.
We shall never reach the limit of
cur possibilities in road construction
until our highways are placed
under the supervision OF com.
petent road engineers. Good roads
mado Rome, but it took the best
trained minds of the nation TO con
struct them The same inhexible rule
applies with equal force to our pres.
eut day and generation.
"Paramout to the economy of good
roads is the question of economy of
constructing good roads 1t is very
evident we shall not enjoy the benefits
Of good roads until hotter systems
are evolved for their construction aud
maintenance.
"To grade and drain road proper.
ly requires the direction of one who
is trained in the art and science II
road building Not only will such
person perform the task correctly,
but it will be done economically. 1t
is not with the intention of reHectiug
discredit, or casting an imputatlon
upon the honesty Of our present road
supervisors when We say that perhaps
fully 80 per cent of the present road
tax is wasted This is not due to
lack of integrity ON the part of those
in charge, bat simply TO wrongly di
rected energy.
LET us begin at the root Of the
present evil by eudeayoring to build
up sentiment in favor of putting all
road construction in the hands Of
practical road engineers BY SO
doing we shall soon have uniform
systom OF grading and drainage that
will fully demonstrate the value Of
the change In this way we may
hope to have q greater milage of good
earth roads aud witness the beginning
OF u crusade Of permanently i'm. F.
proved metal roads.
The economy of good roais is not
only manifested in the much lower
cost Of transportation. but add to the
leasures OF farm life, increases the
value Of tarm land. obyiates mater
ial wear ard tear of vehicles and
lessons the burdens and tortures Of
draught animals
"Our people are unit on the ad.
'antages OF good roads aud the disad.
iantage of bad roads but are hone.
eSsly divided as to remedies Ma.
lonal and state aid has its adyo.
Stes. but with our present system
here is grave danger Of state funds !