The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1906-06-27


OF thoughtful men such unanim.
Il ity of sentiment and conclusion
as TO the necessity for good
roads, and the fact is SO well settled
that there can he no systematic con
struction of roads without government
cooperation. that It is hard to see
how 1t can he much longer delayed.
While agitation for good wagon ways
Is as old as the first settlement in our
SYSTEM of civilization. it has been until
within the past few years subordinatcd
to the wonderful extension OF railroad
lines. In the earlier days of the re-
public 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
wealthiest States pointing the excep-
lion and these without exception advo-
,ate government cooperation. Presi-
dent Roosevelt not long ago, speaking
on the subject, declared good roads the
main hope of retaining the energies of
our young people in the country. and
Thus stop the flow from country 70
city. where every avenue of business
Is already crowded. Other emf
nent 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
his crop and market it at the most fav-
orable opportunity whereas under bad
roads he is virtually under compulsion
| TO sell ii as soon as it is maturcd,
because the roads may become impass-
able at any time during the fall, winter
or spring. The intelligent people of
town and city plead for good roads be-
cause the food they consume must
come from the farm and be paid for
according as II 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 disconnected at
his lot when remembering that he pays
sixty per cent. of all the taxes, and yet
| ltNtINtS lO hllCNN dAloli ~ NV
hands of government, while unnum-
bered' millions have been given from
The National treasury TO better condi'
lions everywhere except upon the farm,
The man who digs out OF the soil
that which sustains all progress and
prosperity knows that while govern
ment aid has been lavished upon
ocean-going commerce, not one dollar,
since the construction of the old Cum
oerland road, has been expended by
the United States to facilitate COM
merce between the farm and the mar
Set. 1t is no wonder, in view of all
this, that the agricultural classes look
upon the National Aid to Good Roads
movement as promising their lonG-de'
ferred material salvation. The ques'
ton 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 continuing
greatness of the country will seek to
inject into it any element of party
prejudice To do so would be To
detract from a proposition at once SER
ously important to the commercial in
dustrial and social Advancement Of all
the people in every part of the land
and would he sacrilcge to be des-
pissed. The Good Roads question is 4
pressing question which, soon or late,
will have to be recognized by National
aid in cooperation with the States.