The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-01-14
GOOD ROADS FOR
FLORIDA AND WHAT
THE1" WOULD MEAN

Allan Rogers, in Jacksonville Times-Union.

Some time ago / wrote a paper on
good roads for the Times-Union, and
have received a number of compliment
tary letters regarding. the same.
also note that some of the state papers
make favorable comment. This, in
my judgment, indicates that the peo-
pie want good roads.
The Pensacola Journal repubhshes
the paper in full, and editorially spoke
of it in part as follows:
The communication is so thorough
ly in accord with The Journals own
Oft-stated position on the subj>ct CT
good roads, and it contains so much
good sense and so many valuable sug-
gestions that we commend it 10 the
careful attention Of every property
owner in the state. The proposition
of the writer OF the communication to
make the question Of good roads I
state issue to secure from the legila-
ture an appropriation for the building
OF one main state highway, and 10
work the state cOnyicts on il is worthy
Of more than passing attention. So
far as working of the convicts on
roads is concerned, that is where thew
e.
should be worked: -. go. As to the
Increase in population and in wealth
which it Is argued that a system of
good roads would produce. there can
be no question about it. Florida was
wilderness before the railroads en-
tered it, and it is in many places a
wilderness still"
One writer thinks my plan a good
one, but inasmuch as his county is on
the edge Of the state. h don't see
how it could benefit him. rs the road
would miss his county. 1t would bene-
I'll him in more ways than one.
Such state highway as suggested
can be built for $1,000 uer mile. Such
road would Immediately affect the
value OF lands in a zone twenty miles
on either side, and eacn hundred miles
would add in FIVE years 10000 people
10 this zone, these 10000 peonIa will
add five dollars per head 10 the value
of the land on which they settle and
If We figure FIVE dollars per head in per
Sonal property. which will scarcely
cover the cost of the clothes thav
wear, and the road will have brought
to the territory through which il runs
100000 in values as an Offset against
It's 100000 in cost of the road. while
It has left ten thousand people there
TO be fruitful. multiply and replenish
the earth. This increase in value
means much for every man. woman
and child in Florida. no matter where
they live. The gain i'm taxes would
go into the state treasury for the ben.
eht OF all the people.
The railroads have dOn2 and arc do
ing much for the state. They can be
encouraged to do more. but a system
OF hard roads can do more than il is
possible for the railroads ever to do.
Every human being and every pound
OF freight goes over some kind of road
TO reach the railway; at their destina-
ton they go over some sort of road 10
get away
NelNher the preacher nor the congre-
CATION use the railroad TO reach the
mouse OF worship. Il is Of little or no
use to the teacher or pupils. Ii does
not help the physician to reach the
SICK. Ii aids, but cannot supply a ru-
raj mail service. For neighborhoOd
and social functions it is almost use
less; the farmer seldom uses il to
take his grain to mill. his milk to
town or his wood to market. Ana
when We ara taken to our long home
We rarely 90 by the railroad route.
Professor ShalTr Of Harvard Uni.
versity said of the road question: IL
Is doubtful, indeed. whether sound
democracy. depending. as it does, on
close ard constant interaction of the
local life. can we'll be maintained in
country where the Toadways put
heavy tax on human intercourse"
. II We admit that a good road has a
tremendous advantage over a bad one
We are tn u in a position to take IN
the more important question involved
IN the construction of good ones as the
reasonable means of getting rid OF the
bad. All recent writer's of any conse-,
qusnce favor federal aid to the states
Tor building highways, and this is no
new doctrine, for way back in the ear
ly days OF the republic great schemes
were laid out for national highways .
John c. Calhoun. an ultra states right
advocate favored federal aid TO state
road building. So did Henry CLAW. T.
and sach Cf these great men tried to
fore" fhA ~na@ question TO the from, /