Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1905-05-31

The Need of Good Roads.

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The Need of Good Roads.
According to the report of the good
roads commission the people Of Illinois
have spent approximately $75,00O0,000
on their wagon roads during the last
twenty-five years, and yet these roads
are in little better condition now than
they were twenty-five years ago.
Obviously there has been a great
waste, which Is ascribable to the make
shift methods of comparatively
young community and its neglect of a
scientific study Of the road problem.
Owing to this neglect, egregious errors
have been made when there was the
best will In the world. Great quartz
ties of hard material have been used
for surfacing, with the evident inten-
ton Of getting big results, only to
prove that labor and material were
thrown away. For 1t has been found
that six inches Of good material prop
erly applied upon a thoroughly drained
foundation Of natural soil will make
better and more lasting road than
two or three feet OF hard material
carelessly placed upon an undrained
foundation, as was the custom Of too
many road builders Of the olden times
in fact, Of too many Of the present
time"
Those blind efforts, however, are IN
dicative Of some realization of the i'm
mense Importance of good roads which
is not felt as it should be throughout
the country because the people can
get along somehow, thanks to their
natural advantages 1.-THE American
farmer Is the only one in the civilized
world who Is rich enough to afford the
luxury Of mud roads," declares the re-
port land 1t Is safe to say that they
cost him, directly and indirectly, twice
as much as permanent hard roads
would cost him under reasonable
system Of State and government aid"
Such aid is justified by the value Of
to all the people, and the commission
suggests that in Illinois the State
should pay one-half, the county one
fourth and the township one-fourth Of
the cost of constructing improved
roads. To carry out its ideas it has
prepared bill that provides for a
State board to serve without compen-
sation and for the appointment Of a
q tot xxyf,N
shall work under the direction and
control Of this State commission and
who shall be paid for their services.
The questions of convict labor and
transportation Of material are also
considered, as they were in the Cover
.nor's inaugural, and after the publ
cation of inaugural and report the peo-
pie should understand fully that it IS
to their interest that Illinois should
emulate other States in the matter Of
road vements.-Chicago Record
Herald
Who Is Responsible for Bad Roads?
Farmers have unjustly been blamed
and cursed for the bad roads that have
so long existed in every part Of this
country. This Is certainly a great
mistake. Farmers are not the only
people who use the public highways,
therefore it is unjust to expect that
farmers should bear all the expense
Of building highways. Are not the
people Of cities interested in good
roads? II there were not highways
the cities would not be supplied with
fruits and other forms of food, and
city people have many other uses for
roads than in getting their supplies
for the necessities Of life. The State
and the government itself is interested
in good roads fully as much as the
farmer Rome set good example In
road building. Two thousand years
ago Rome built roads so good and sub
stantial they remain to-day in fairly
good condition. Rome could not have
conducted her military operations
without these improved roadways.
The bad roads of the United States
have been a disgrace to this country
and are still so in many localities.
Statesmen and politicians have over
looked the necessity Of State and gov
eminent aid and encoura cement in
road making. At the present hour
there are few men such as Senator
Armstrong Of the New York State
Legislature, and United States Repre-
sentative Brownlow, who have done
and are still doing much to encourage
good road improvement. Several
States have been interested in this
subject, but the United States govern
ment has so far done nothing so Sfar
as | know. The time has come for
the government at large to encourage
road hnildinp