The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1908-11-05
Improvement


opportunity for presenting SOM
considerations of this important
question from the farmers stand
point. The farmers have a com
mon interest with all other advo-
Gates of road improvement, and al
though there may be difference of
opinion as to methods, we are all
working for the same ultimate pur-
pose-the establishment of COM
plete system of properly construct
ed roads i'll all sections of the coun-
try. How such a road system can
be secured is a problem that more
directly concerns the farmers than
any other class, and it NAV be
safely said that the question of
better roads is essentially a farm
er's question.
1t is true that all industrial in
terests are affected by the nature
and condition of the roads over
which the products Of our farms
are transported to market, but it is
the farmers who suffer most from
the inferior roads which constitute
so large a percentage of the road
system of the United States. And
] am confident that it is to the
farmers that we must look as the
active force and influence that will
secure the enactment of the legis-
lature needed to bring about that
Improvement in road conditions
that we all desire.
And here l wish to refer briefly
to the seeming conflict of interests
between the farmers and the own
ers of motor vehicles, which has
Ill some districts given rise to pro-
nounCed antagonism and hostile
legislation. That since the intro
ductlon and general use of the
automobile there have been MANY
instances of gross disregard by the
drivers of motor vehicles of the
publiC's right to the use of our
highways, cannot be denied. The
coming of the automobile has
brought with it the victims of
speed mania, who in their mad de
sire to beat records drive their
high powered machines along
country roads at a speed danger
Gus to all others using these roads.
1t is only natural that the farmers,
on whom in most sections of the
country the chief burden of con
structing and maintaining public
roads has fallen, should resent the
violation of their right to use these
roads il safety, and should have
sought to have severe penalties
imposed on the offending parties.
For myself may say that be
lleve that the attitude of the farm
ers toward the automobile was to
a large extent justified by the out
rageous conduct of drivers of these
vehicles. 1t is doubtless true, as
is often asserted, that the speed
maniaCs" constitute a very small
percentage of the total number of
automobile users. | am pleased to
know that the abuses complained
of i'll the earlier years of the auto
mobile have to large extent dis
appeared, and trust that through
the influence of the automobile
clubs and associations there NAV
brought about a willingness to re-
spect the right of the people to the
use of the highways, that will give
no occasion for hostility toward
the orderly, reasonable use of the
automobile.
realize that the motor vehicle
IS here to stay, and that it is
factor that must be taken into con-
sideration i'll discussing the i'm
provement of our roads. The
question as to how far it creates
new problems of road maintenance
and repair | must leave to the ex-
pert road makers and would only
suggest that it is important that
all the facts relating to the effects
of automobile traffic on improved
roads shoulds be ascertained be-
fore raising needless alarm over
the alleged destructive tendencies