Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1908-02-20
AN ABLE ADDRESS OF T. ".
WALSH or DENVER.


Commercial congress was 'na'
Thomas r. Walsh Of Denver Of the
Muskogee meeting. He said'
There are many great and import
ant public questions engaging tne ~
tention Of the American nacion o. Inc
present time. but amongst them all
/ doubt il there is one that so deeply
affects all OF our people financially
morally and ethically' as does 1ne
building, identifying and maintaining
Of good roads throughout the oroao
expanse Of our glorious country
By good roads l mean roads that , are
not merely surveyed and opened out
such as are built. Not roads for tenn
porary convenience, but for Perma,
nent use. Not road which are gooa
when the weather is pleasant an"
warm, but roads good in all seasons
and ali weather. Not roads which are
adapted to light or ordinary tratic
only, but roads which will carry
weights that any extraordinary occa-
sion may demand. Not road es'aO-
lished solely for the benefit OF those
living along their line or in the im'
mediate vicinity, but roads suited to
the public who may have occasion 70
travel, or TO haul loads over them
Not roads built for communication
between one hamlet and another out
roads having definite purpose ior
social and business accessibility ana
Improvement.
Good roads mean to the toiler better
flled dinner pals at lessened COST;
n The farmer, an increase revenue
from the products Of his land; to the
dwellers in the country, freedom from
isOlation to the residents Of consest-
Cd cities, an opportunity Of enjoying
the glorious health-giving atmosphere
Of the country, to come in contac'
with nature and to receive blessings
and inspiration at her hands, tina!
they can never enjoy in the vitlateu
atmosphere Of city life.
Good roads are the boulevards the
health promenades, and since the ad'
vent of the automobile, the railways
Of the people, they reach down into
and touch every chord and fiber o.
human life, and like the gentle dew
from heaven, they bring blessings and
benefits to all.
Strange to say, until the recen'
mast, we have treated this great ques'
ton with an indifference, which view
cd in the light Of our progress in othel
directions seems astounding.
II our civilization were judged ..
cur roads we would be placed at tn
Invest mark In the scale, for anon
all the civilized nations Of the earth
there Is none so poor and backward Il
the march Of progress, but can boas
Of better roads than ours. As q MAJ nal
ter OF fact, we have neither roads
road system, nor road government
We are barbarians in the abysmal in
passable condition Of our roads an
In the semi.polltlcal bandit Syste'
through which we annually carry Q
the farce Of caring for these mudwa!
which we honor with the name
public highways.
Far and away in the lead OF all y
lions in the material and ethical thin
IN life, and l say 1t with conscio
pride; keen to invent and utili
money-saving machinery; quick
build railroads aud waterways th
will lessen the cost Of transportatio
alive to advantages to be realized fro
employing the highest and best in
of the great channels Of industry r
are strangely Indifferent to the OniI
ing oipublic thoroughiares that won
save us more money and bring
more distributed blessings to all OF 0
people than any other public work
which we can engage.
Look at Europe with its hoary a
Of experience behind it. See the mi
ted maze Of tree-lined. well-kePt 70
way that traverse every hill and '
ley, every glen and canyon and mOu
tain, in every place within Its &C
anes. 1t matters not where you
b It along the fairy glsns Of the E
erald Isle, through the fields and '
isys Of merry England, over The
comparable rOnds Of Il Belle fran'
throurh he winding canyons .