Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1908-02-20

backward In road butlninR anu WV
remedies which I have to offer are by
no means complex. Many able minds
have in recent years been giving care
III consideration to the road problem
and the most gratifying progress has
been made in some OF the states.
am making no new suggestions today
and am evolving no theories.
Now. a few words as to the defects
OF our road systems. A disPassionate
study Of the facts has convinced me
that Iocalizatiou in road work secures
the least possible return for the out
lay. Nearly all Of the states west Of
the Mississippi river have local road
systems. t. emphasize this point'
consider what would be the result II
Instead Of having great railroad sys-
TENS, We had the railroads In each
county under separate Jurisdiction
Suppose that instead Of having one
centralized administration for great
railroad system, at the head OF which
is man selected for his peculiar Mt
ness, we had an administrative head
for each county. Suppose that IN
stead Of building railroad system to
develope the resources OF an entire
section OF country, we built little sec
tions Of railroad according to the
whims Of influential citizens In small
localities. On the other hand suppose
Won abolish the thousands OF petty
road officials and place one man. In
fuitely more capable than any OF the
petty officials. at the head OF one grea'
system and give him corps OF train
ed. competent men, all the way down
the line, who will be sure to obtain a
dollars worth Of results for every dol
lar expended. leave you to draw
YOUR own conclusions as to which sys-
tenn would yield the better results.
The laws under which the road work
lin most Of the states is carried on, do
not require read officials to have any
|knolwedge Of road building. This
Icopsider the second weakness in ouI
road system.
| A third feature which is a decided
handicap is the use Of statute labor
| Nobody ever expects days work Out
of man who is working out his tax
| It is burden upon him. A work tt
which he is unaccustomed and II HI
hires a su Institute, the substitute feel
lin duty bound to act just as his EN-
ployer would act under like circum
stances. In our private dealings w
never think Of employing men to do fOl
us that for which they are not compe
tent. Then why not apply the SAM
rule to public affairsP A fourth weak
ness in system is the laxity in thu
safeguarding Of public funds. be
Ilieve that there are comparatively few
counties that could give clear accu
rate and iusti6able list Of revenues
and expenditures for roads.
We need only TO compare result
with expenditures to be convinced 0
the weakness Of our present road sys
tens. With an expenditure Of owe
$40, 900, 900 in the year Of 1904, w
could only show a mileage of imProy
ed roads amounting to little owe
seven per cent Of the total mileage o
the entire country. This seven pc
cent docs not represent the work don
, in one year, or Ave years but oil tina
we have to show for the road wor
which we have done since the whit
man first put foot ON this continent.
Another ground for CRITICISM is tbs
under the county system the burden
, Of cost are not equally distributed an
, the great cities where the wealth {
. the country is. largely concentrate
A are practically Immune, Good road
a are essential to the prosperity OF th
: cities as they are to the prosperity
4 the country. Public roads are no lon
:, or mere local necessities. The tran
which passes over them is Of value I
It beyond the confines Of the county.
n complex and far reaching is our pre-
n emit commercial and industrial syste
y that benefits and burdens travel IA
Ia and far. And still another cause I
IL our poor roads is that no provision
,e made for maintaining them which
10 fully as essential as the building
D. them.
nj .,h;oo, ;s too oreat tn deal wi