The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-03-14

the second place they con-
1881 tribute much to the lsola-
fE lGNi ton of farm life. A third
consideration may be added-the
wholesome effect of good highways
on the farmer himself. Any one OF
these reasons is sufficient to warrant
a considerable expenditure OF money
and time on improvements. Togetb-
er they make an invincible argument.
The modern farmer keeps in touch
with the market either by telephone or
by his daily newspaper. Frequently
in the case Of ordinary produce, &C.
~casionally with the important staples,
he can take advantage Of q temporary
rise in the market-provided the roads
are good. If they are bad his precau-
tions go for nothing.
The waste Of time involved in haul
ing through mud is apt to be over
looked. The farmer is too inclined to
think that it makes no Inference
maybe he wouldn't be working that
day, anyway. But it is just in this
uoSl6cU " UldhS INC "ooS
time that other farmers fail. 1t is
important that all hands keep busy all
the. time on q farm as 1t is that they
be kept constantly at work in a manu-
featuring plant. Another element OF
waste in using bad roads is the wear
and tear on the horses, wagons n
harness. All appliances ave to DC
renewed much more frequently when
they are subjected to the strain OF
hauling through mud than they would
if used only an macadam.
The side of this question which al
fects the matter Of taste also has q
practical bearing. Dirt and shiftless-
ness tend to get together. The far
mer whose wagon is covered with clay
doesn't feel the pride in keeping up his
place that lie would if his vehicles
came back clean from a drive to town.
Manufacturers and business men of all
sorts are finding that it pays to keep
their plaes shipshape. The most sue
cessful farmers have learned the same
lesson. Muddy roads are enemies to
the good order that helps make a
farm successful. 1t is hardly neces-
sary to dwell on their relation to that
isolation which Mr.. Morton rightly
said is the chief objection to farm life.
In part this is inevitable. But it can
be greatly relieved by the improve
ment of roads. There is no reason
why a farmers family should suffer
solitary. confinement during many
weeks Of the year.
The remedy is in the farmers own
hands. With unanimity Of action they
could enlist help that would bring
widespread relief within a few years.
Some Pertinent Questions For
How much do you suppose it costs
you q year to repair your wagons and
harness on account of bad roads? How
much does it cost you q year for shoes
and clothing that are ruined by your
children wading through the mud to
school? How much does it cost you a
year for medicine 10 cure your b
dren's colds contracted in wading
through the mud to school and church?
How much of q damage q year to you
is the mud that prevents your children
from attending school, or damage done
to them, rather, in the loss Of an edu-
cation? How much damage to you is
our bad roads in preventing your reach
ing market with your produce? You
are perfectly willing to spend plenty
of money in the buying of reapers and
mowers and other farm machinery.
You are willing to purchase fine car
riages and harness. At the price pota-
toes are to-day M load would be the
average farmers tax for ten years for
good roads, at the end Of that time the
roads would be good and YOU could
vote to rescind the law if you wanted
to, and you would have good roads and
no tax for thirty Or forty years, the
balance O.: your life.