The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1905-05-06
A PRESSING QUESTION.

1t may be that the first session of the 59th
Congress will not reach consideration of the
question of National aid to good roads, but it
is about as certain as any unconsummated
thing can be, that it will be recognized during
the life of that body. There is prevalent in the
minds Of thoughtful men such unanimity Of
sentiment and conclusion as to the necessity
for good roads. and the fact is so well settled
that there can be no systematic construction
of roads without government cooperation, that
it is hard to see howl can be much longer de-
layed. While agitation for good wagon ways
is as old as the first settlement in our system
few years subordinated to the wonderful ex-
tension Of railroad lines. In the earlier days
of the republic the duty and obligation of the
government to aid in the construction of wagon
roads in the states was not seriously denied.
The necessity for government aid is admitted
almost everywhere, only four or five of the
wealthier states pointing the exception, and
these without exception advocate government
cooperation. President Roosevelt not long ago,
speaking on the subject, declared that good
roads is the main hope of retaining the energies
of our young people in the country, and thus
stop the flow from country to city, where every
avenue of business is already overcrowded.
Other eminent men contend for good roads on
the ground that the farmer, the first and most
important producer of wealth. ought to be
placed in position to hold bis crop and market
it at the most favorable opportunity, whereas
under bad roads he is virtually under compul-
sion to sell it as soon as it is matured, because
the roads may become impossible at any time
during the fall, winter or spring. The intelli-
gent people of town and city plead for good
roads because the food they consume must
come from the farm and be paid for according
as it is able to reach the market.
The farmer, the mainstay and dependence
of the government in every emergency. feels
that his substance is annually swallowed up
in the unhappy conditions that deny him
reasonable market communication at his best
time to sell. He is Discontinued at his lot
when remembering that he pays go per cent.
of all the taxes, and yet receives no direct con-
sideration at the hands of the government,
while unnumbered millions have been given
from the National treasury to better conditions
everywhere except upon the farm. The man
who digs out of the soil that which snstains all
progress and prosperity knows that while gov
eminent aid has been lavished upon railroads
and ocean-going commerce, not one dollar,
since the construction of the old Cumberland
road. has been expended by the United States
to facilitate commerce between the farm and
the market. It isrno wonder. in view of all
this. that the agricultural classes look upon
the National Aid to Good Roads movement as
promising their long-deferred material saliva
ton. It is no wonder that the farmer has
gotten up from the bed rock of his free-thought
and reason fully aroused to the fact that unless
he can have better roads his business is fail
ure, and must therefore be abandoned; and 1t
is this that gives strength to the cause of better
roads, because we are all dependent on the
farm. u
The question Of National aid to good roads is
absolutely above and beyond the realm of
party politics. 1t is advocated by strong men
of every political faith, and no man desiring
the best in the material development and con-
tinuing greatness of the country will seek to
inject into it any element of party prejudice.
To do SO would be to detract from PROPOSE
ton at once seriously important to the COM
mercial, industrial and social advancement of
all the people in every part of the land, and
would be sacrilege to be despised
The Good Roads question is q pressing ques-
ton which. soon or late, will have to be recog-
nized by National aid in cooperation with the
states. We hope the 59th Congress will enact
into law the Brownlow-L atimer bills, with the
provisions of which the country is already
more or less familiar.