The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1908-07-15

Chas. Sumner is accredited with
having said in the United States sem
ate: THE schoolmaster and good
roads are the two most important
agencies to advance civilization"
Howard II. Gross of Chicago, in
the best article on good roads that
l have ever read, Says: THE great
est need in this country today, for
its larger social, education and econ
omic development, is good roads. :"
There is no doubt of the absolute
correctness of both these statements
in the minds of those who have care
fully studied and tried to solve the
good roads proble2l.
There is not sane person in this
country, probably, wno does not real
ize that good roads are desirable:
every one knows that we would be
better off if we had good roads and
/ feel that our time and strength,
used in trying to convince people of
these admitted facts, are largely
wasted. The task 3efore us is %
show them that it is not only posi-
BILE for Yakima county to have the
best roads known to science, through
out its entire system of public roads,
just as fast as men and money can
construct them, but that that is the
only justifiable course to pursue, and
that instead OF such course result
ing in a luminous burden of taxation
as most people fear, we will actually
by following that course pay out less
money than we are paying out now.
This may seem, for starter. like
putting 1t pretty strong, but it is a
fact that can be proven and clearly
demonstrated, and this proof is what
we have got to produce. General and
abstract talk about the beauties of
good roads go for but very little with
people who want the good roads just
as bad as we do but think that the
cost prohibits their construction.
Now what evidence have we that
will prove our statements?
No community, county or state that
has ever begun the construction Of
macadamized roads in comprehen-
increase the number of miles built
each succeeding year as long as there
We're important roads to improve,
which would not and could not be
the case had the discovery been made
that their construction was creating
ruinous burden of taxation. The
first good roads movement of conse-
quence in the United States was start
ed in New Jersey about fifteen years
ago and spread rapidly throughout
the eastern states. New Jersey be-
gan with state aid of $4,000 per
year, which soon increased to $780,
600 per year. Pennsylvania began
with $f50,000 and in very few
years was spending over one million
year. New Yol> began with $500
600 a year and rapidly increased the
amount until two or three years ago
the constitution of the state was
amended providing for the issue of
fifty millions of dollars of state bonds
. to be used in aiding the counties,
which have to pay one-half of the
expense, in constructing public roads.
: This money is available to the am
cunt of five millions per year and
since the counties have to pay half
THE expense that state is now expend-
ing in excess of ten millions per year
a.. in perfecting its roads.
The state of Indiana, according
+, to Mr. Gross, has $4,000 miles OF
hard roads aggregating 80 per cent
of all the public roads of the state.
This is most remarkable showing
and the results justify the expense
incurred ten times over.
1t is claimed that in every locali-
ty where this work has been taken
,up it has been started with the farm
ers invariably opposing, but as soon
as the cost and effect have been real
lied the farmers have become the
most ardent supporters of the move
.ments and the ones who have cried
loudest for more and larger appropri-
.ations
! say that these things could not
be if the extensive improvements
made did not demonstrate that in
stead of creating burden of taxation
and expense, they actually relieve the
people of an enormous burden under
(which they are now laboring and
which, because of its indirectness, IS
not realized by most farmers.
A few years ago congress estab-
lished a public roads office in the
department of agriculture for the
Of hnr