The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1906-03-03
UNDOUBTEDLY A PUBLIC DUTY.

In the discussion of the merits of the Brown
low Latimer good roads bills before Congress
the very first fact to be considered is that good
roads are the greatest factors of profit, comfort
and convenience ever sent to bless the people
of any land, and that they contribute abun-
dainty to enhance the national life and to offset
the influences that tend to concentrate popu
lation unduIy in the large cities to the discom-
fort and detriment of the community at large.
Another primary fact is that where financial
ability and intelligent zeal have striven to
solve the road question the aggregate value of
property has been so greatly increased by good
roads that it is impossible to overestimate it
Every one, from city dweller to farm owner
and farm laborer, has had occasion to bless the
era of the improvement of living conditions
brought about by we'll. built highways. These
are strong and eloquent object lessons to i'm
press the truth upon the mind of every honest
enquirer.
We have long ago gotten away from ground
on which the contention can rest that road
making belongs exclusively to local ambition,
advantage and growth, because the highways
are of universal use. contributing to national
profit and convenience and they are therefore
universal in their good results. Men have
ceased to think, because the expansion of our
national utilities have dsproven such conten-
ton, that the burden or road construction
should rest on the local community. That is
simply tradition of national policy. Road
building is undoubtedly public duty which
rests upon the Government in some form.
Tha h;flo baforo Nou0rooa r,roeonk fooo;hlo
way to solution of the long-vexed trouble,
and it is gratifying to note the strong senti-
ment in every part of the country for their
enactment into law.
This proposition offers policy of co-opera-
ton and seeks to bring in the general Govern
ment as factor to work in connection with
any state or subdivision thereof, the United
States to pay one-halfthe cost of improvement
and the state or subdivision to pay the other
half. There is every reason why the people of
the country should receive this help. tits not
in fact, an innovation. Government is or
dained for the common welfare. The Con-
stitution of the United States has been found
to favor appropriations of public moneys to
promote private enterprise and special inter-
ests to build up the seacoast states through
river and harbor improvements at the expense
of the inland states and to take of the peoples
treasure to build roadways and otherwise i'm
prove conditions for half civilized and I'M
civilized inhabitants of the islands of the seas.
Surely that Constitution cannot be summoned
as barrier against the progress and develop
ment of the people at home.
Government aid to road building is within
reach if its friends continue the struggle. Ma
tional aid to highway improvement is a ma
tional obligation, because improved highways
would bring national blessings where now exist
conditions that are hurtful to national life and
prosperity.
Write to Hon. W. P. Brownlow, Washing \
ton, D. c., for a copy of his good roads bill.
81 ALWAYS hate to see farmer sell his farm
and come to town." remarked Lawrence
(Kas.) philosopher to a newspaper reporter.
he nearly always buys a grocery store with
the idea that all the money that comes over
the counter is net profit. He soon sees be is
losing money and sells out to some other
farmer. Then he starts a real estate Office and
sits around waiting for men to come and buy.
In year or two he has his wife start board
ing house, and when the jig is up with that he
demands nomination for office on the ground
that he has been putting in all his time since
he sold his farm working for other fellows
and he thinks the party owes it to him. After
he is beaten all over the county he gets sore
and becomes loafer. There are several such
here in town. am always mighty sorry to
see man sell his farm and move to town un-
less he is ready to retire, and has money enough
to educate his family and keep him the rest of
his life."
The BEAUTIFUL new white marble building
of the National Mechanics Bank, northwest
corner of South and German streets. Baltimore,
was formally opened for business last Monday.