Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-10-04

ours, marked as II Is, ana VAIN oui
memory has been, ly the most mar
yeious development, discoveries and
invs ntiCns OF any age, or land.
We must admit, however, thai the
Improvement of cur public highways
has not kept pace with our progress
along most otn.r lines. This failure
has at last been realized and to-day
thousands of earnest coed road WORK
ers'' are distributed through all IN
States of the Union. May We not
hone that from this and similar con
yentions a general movement for SoIu
roads may be inausuratrd? The var
led interests represented here ind:-
Gates the breaking down OF BARRIERS
tn harmouiziiig q differences. and n
kceuer appreciation of the fact that
the question of Improved rcads is Il
vital one TO citizens in every wa in
life. The call for bett;r roaGs mas
steadily increased in volume until TO-
day it is voiced by manufacture. com,
mercc. agriculture and mining. and
when this great Quartetts OF SISTER"
Join hands, we may predict that III
the near future the Nation itself VIII
embark in well devised plan CT per
man. mt road improvement, along
systematic lines.
Tran portation companies are IN
tcrcstcd because, given good ROADS
there would be an end of the s. mi
annual congestion at shipping points
which now requires an enormous en-
pense for cars at certain seasons
which lie idls the balance OF The year.
The producer is interested for the
rea.on that in Anticipation OF the
certain return each rall and Spring
of mpassable roads he must hurry
forward mis- crops 10 sell III a siht's u
market at prices not always warrant
cd nv the supply, and which Wouia
not be accepted If he were able 10
deliver his produce in response 10 III"
demand of the consumer, VINO III
turn j. often the victim OF eXtortlon-
ate prices by reason of bad reads IN
the county. With good ROADS the
stream of supplies would be more con-
s,ant, therSt.; relieving the conseS-
ton noted above; the producer ana
cor sumner woi,d be less dep ndent up
on changing conditions. the great law
of supply and demand would md 1ui'
exnres sion to the mutual financial al
vantage of both Ct those who do not
SOW, nor reap, neither do they spin.
This fac, alone juslifies tax upon
tho duplicate of every town ana
State in the Union. for the permanent
impruvems mt OF roads. as there can
he no expenditure of money nearly
affecting every ciIiZen OF the Repuo-
lie than this which involves ths 1904
supply of all the people.
Again. the farmers are calling loud
" for better roads because OF the new
deDarturs in the means OF education.
The little red school house mas gone
valiant work in all the past. ana
from its portals there have come up
each year an army of young men anu
won, II who have reinforced every ue-
partment OF human activity, but the
district schCcl must PASS. fCr thI
tendency is towards centrallzatloh
and in Chic as well as in other
States the pupils Of an entire town
ship are being transported TO cen.
tralized schools where they have all
the privileges of a graded school WITH
hiyh school in connection. all UNDER
tho superyision of 4 college bred man.
ar woman. At the end Of the course.
they are ready for tn" freshman
wear in college, vet all the while have
enjoyed the peace and safety OF the.r
fathers house. To this adavnce IN
the cause OF education for the farm
boy and girl the periodical season
of mud roads offers the most serious
bindrance. The sickle, the cradle. the
.;cythe the fail, the OX-cart and the
Old oaken bucket" all. all have pass
Cd and the little red school house
must give place to better things, anu
If now Vi can speed the parting o.
these erst-while honCred factors IN
civilization b. adding TO the process
sion their brother of iii reoute, Bad
Reads. | feel sure that VS. will ru:
to the nearest Methodist church and
borrow its loudest-Amen.
Asain-the call for good roads In
THO rural sections is growing more
ipsis;ent b. cause of the recent bless
ipss Of rural mail delivery. Ii is I'M
.tss,t,c to GissGsec!ate this great
loom to the farmer from the ques-
lion Z good roads, upon whose pres
snce, or al tnce. the full success
and ultimate general extension de-
ponds
Scarcely less important than the
ahoya corsid ra;ions are the enforced
limitations upon social HE upon the
farm. due TO the impossible roads
at these SEASONS Of the year when
from the nature Of his calling the
farmer has mere leisure for larger
social life and consequent mental re-
newIng. II is estimated that IN the
United States We have approximate
II two millions Of miles OF dirt roads.
II should he remembered that upon
nearly each mile # this vas; stretch
,here lives a farmer. who with his
family are mud-bound prisoners our
ing a considerable pcr:ion Of the
wear. Close observers OF economic
conditions insist tina; this fact a'cne
had driven thousands Of our bTightesi