The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1907-09-19
A New System for Road Building
to Be Adopted.

- iNGV 0ySIGliI lOi NOQO DusIOtiIS
to Be Adopted.
If the incoming legislature does not
either repeal or modify the present
road laws and substitute enaotments
more practical and that will be Of
greater benefit, the Indications are all
astray, says the Magee Courier. The
question of good roads has been one
that has been before the people Of
Mississippi for years, and talked about
and written about, and for the attain
ment of which men have organized
themselves into good roads associa-
tions, and 1t has come to be a we'll
recognized fact that unless the present
laws are improved upon in wholesome,
practical manner, the realization will
remain Utopian dream. Several
years ago, in 1901, or thereabouts, the
National Good Roads Association, un-
der the leadership of W. H. Moore, its
indefatigable president, and number
OF his associates, in the course of
general southern itinerary, came into
Mississippi, and several very enthusi-
astic meetings and conventions were
had. They came with apparatus and
men of experience to work the same
and demonstrate practically how the
best of roads could be started and
worked, and left some good results,
though the effect was not widespread,
But the advocates of modern methods
of road-making and road oversight
have kept the matter alive, with the
result that from year to year the move
ment and spirit has become more
widespread, and now department of
the state government, newly created,
has taken up the matter, and this has
given an impetus to the good work al
ready begun, until boards of super
visors all over the state are abolishing
the old overseer system, and either
have adopted the contract, or are TAX
ing steps so to do, and those who have
tlied it long enough, in their reports
to the commissioner of agriculture,
have nothing but good to report as q
result
Under the present road laws, the
method of working, whether by con-
tract or by the road tax and road hand
system, is elective, but it is held that
the selection should be repealed. and
the contract or some other more ef-
fective than that now in effect should
be substituted and made mandatory
generally and not optional with the
county.
| In the old pioneer. days, when labor
was more plentiful and the number of
able bodied citizens subject to road
duty mole numerous, the existing
method was perhaps best, but in the
present advanced age, when quick
travel and safe travel is an absolute
necessity, and the state is, as rule,
in better condition to meet the ex-
pense entailed by the newer methods,
the sentiment is for the change, and
the sooner it is done the better. The
present law makes it compulsory on
the poor man, who may not own
foot Of ground, or mule or horse, to
give as much labor to the road work
ing as his more opulent neighbor, and
in effect it is the poor man who keeps
the road going and in condition, for.
the benefit Of his more successful fell
low citizen. Quite number of the
legislators have expressed them
selves directly and positively as in
favor Of better roads through better
laws, while the same can be said of
men who have been elected as super.
visors, and this is in response to this
rapidly growing sentiment for better
roads, which should lead to the legis-
lation needful to bring about the i'm
provement.