St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1909-05-15
THE GOVERNOR AND GOOD ROADS.

| In the GOVERNOR address before the State
Press Association, which is published in full
on the opposite page will be found some re.
marks on the building of public roads thai
will be of interest to the people of this par.
ish. We are pleased that in. his remarks
he has touched upon the question of his
ambition to become a member of the United
States Senate, because we have heard SINH
lar criticism of his endeavor to impress the
people with the Importance of good roads
and the need of cooperation by the parishes
in welding the connecting links in a chain
of good roads throughout the State. The
arguments advanced by the Governor are
not new. They are self-evident facts that
have been pointed out time and again and
cover principles of improbable expenditure
that have been discussed time and again in
the columns of this paper. They are plain
and convincing, easily comprehended and
should be grasped by any mind open to con-
viction and unselfshly allied to the progress
of the State and parish.
In view Of the simplicity of the statements,
we can but believe their adoption is pre-
vented by ill-advised sectional considera-
lions.
It is true that certain portions of the par
ish are in a position to give good roads to
the people of their community with the
funds at hand without any additional tax
upon them; yet the spirit that considers only
the advancement Of self-interest is not the
spirit that will make us prominent among
the States of the Union nor that will be for
the best interest of those communities in
the development of the resources of the
State. A sound leg on a sick body is of lit
tie service and does not reap the benefit of
it's strength. A small community may be
interspersed with good roads, but if the out
side world is shut off from communication
with it by impossible bog-holes, those fine
roads will ultimately grow up in weeds for
lack of travel and cease to be even orna-
mental.
A system of good roads throughout the
State and from State to State means that
the difficulties and expense of travel will be
so lessened that there will not only be an
opportunity for commercial and educational
advancement, but the saving in expense of
maintenance, wear and tear of vehicles and
loss of time will in few years reimburse
the cost of construction
Weneed that liberal consideration of public
affairs that eliminates personal interests and
works for the betterment of the whole peo-
pie. Governor Sanders has given the key
note to a selection that should be sung. until
the refrain is heard in every nook and cor
ner of the State It matters not if some
think the Governor has an ak to grind, if in
the grinding every man, woman and child
in the State is benefited. We do not deny
that if the Governor is successful in his en-
deavor to give the State good roads he will
add prestige to his name, but the honor will
be well won. There would be little encour-
agement to confer benefits if there were no
thankfulness and no rewards of merit.
We have always maintained that the best
solution of the road question is to bond the
parish and cut off the leak of constant re-
construction of incomplete work that is vast
ing the road fund.