The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1907-04-26

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And during the compa' mtiye leisure Of
the winter and early spring the con-
ditlon of the roads 'lorbids amy but the
baNcst and mos rcsolute from ven
turing over them unless dire necessity
compels Thus the social life of most
country communities is rendered bare
and duh, and we cannot wonder that
our wives grow restless under such
cheerless conditions and that our Toys
and giSls leave the country at the lrst
opportunity for the social advantages
and pleasures of the town OF city.
Bring neIghbors nearer together
with telephones and macadam roads
and this desire 10 leave the country
will Ice largely checked.
Again. good roads will greatly in
crease the religious privileges Of coun-
try people, and thus render rural lie
more inviting TO many Churches
throughout our rural districts are usu-
/ ally three or four miles apart, with
preaching, rs "a rule, only once OF twice
month at amy particular church. 80
that many people must drive three 10
seven miles 20 get to any church. mus
I it comes TO pass that many, especially
of our women aud of our older ana
feebler people, rarely attend any
church service from December to April
and as rule our country Sunday
School, close from November TO April
or May. This is LARGELY due TO the
awful condition Of cur country roads
during those months.
Now people who appreciate the val
ue of religious training for their child
lreu and who find an exalted pleas
ure iu the public worship Of God are
mot satisfied 20 remain thus cut of
from those privileges for large part
of the year. And so they sell out at
the first opportunity and move to
town.
NO social life Of town or city could
possibly equal the free hospitality and
neighborly kindness of country people
ifthey were not kept apart by miles
of mud for several months each year.
/ 80 better place could be found to raise
ones family, to instill religious and
moral principles into our young child
rem than am q the beauties Of nature
ON a Virginia farm, were we not cut
of So largely from church and Sunday
School 10y the awful roads Of winter.
Given good roads the year round
and those who most appreciate the
highest social joys and the best religi-
Gus influences will greatly prefer
country TO city life
>. Good roads also greatly increase
/ the prosperity of the farmer and thus
of the whole country.
The reason so frequently given by
the farmers boy for leaving the farm
and going TO work in the store or fac
tory is that there is no money in farm
ling. or there is too much hard wOrl
for the money.
Now the farmers life Is one Of toll
at certain seasons Of very trying labor
/ But ON The other hand the farmer hai
more leisure, more time that he car
call his own, when he can leave hi
/ business for rest and recreation thar
is afforded by almost any other indus
/ try or profession. "But it does no
pay v Why not? 1t does pay il
many sections Of our country. Why
does it not pay better in this section
The reason IS not perhaps who'll!
but largely found in the bad road
over which we must market our pro
duce. Can you expect man wh'
hauls 500 los. Of tobacco through
twelve or twenty miles Of stiff muC
almost killing out his team and knock
ing years life out of his wagon to b,
able to make money on that load
whatever the price 1t may bring?
What has happily been styled The
MUD tax is by far the largest tax th'
farmer pays, and il is one for which h,
gets no returns save broken wagon,
and broken-down horses and Won
out patience.
T Ina recent drive from Blackstone t
D. Lunenburg Courthouse, the write
passed four wagons on the side Of the
road broken and abandoned. AnC
probably the owners Of those unfortu
nate wagons have been kicking al
these years against any increase in roaC
tax while their mud tax has beer
enough each year to pay their road
tax for TWENTY years.
On, the folly oft! The blind, waste
full, inexcusable folly Of putting lOC
each year into a mud hole which stays
a mud hole and gets bigger every yea
instead Of using Sl.OO to abolish the
mud and the hole at once and forever
We are glad TO note that the senti
ment among the intelligent farmers Of
| Prince Edward is now strongly fol
good roads, and for getting them as
soon as possible by issuing 100000
worth of bonds for this purpose. Thi;
will be a debt that will pay for itseli
i'm ten years through the increased
valuation of country property, through
the increased trade i'm the towns and
villages and through the decrease il
the cost Of marketing the produc o.
the farms.
Another Peace Coferencen has beer
announced, delegates are being select