Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1909-10-06
VIRGINIA CAN DO BETTER.


the governor has been misquoted,
the money devoted To road pur-
poses last year was about S235,000
less than quarter of million.
Figures are not available. but il j.
safe 60 say that the cities Richmond
and Norfolk spend more money
annually on their few score miles
of streets than the entire State
does on the thousands of miles Of
highways that traverse its 100
counties. Gov. Swanson added
that the United States government
spend only $4,000 last year on
roads, thus leaving the inference
that the Old Dominion is going far
ahead of even Uncle Sam in pro-
viding funds for good roads. The
comparison is not fair one, the
general government not being in
the road business to any consider.
able extent.
Gov. Swanson had but to turn t.
the neighboring State of Maryland
for n better basis OF comparison.
The legislature of that State re-
Gently created fund Of 81. 900, 600
for good roads. which amont is
additional to what the several
counties are doing in the same
direction. Furthermore. the roads
of Maryland were already incom-
parably better than those of Vir-
ginia. Thus it is seen that with
less than One-fourth the area of
Virginia the sister State is spend
ing at least twenty times as much
on her highways.
But the awakening is at hand.
The people of Virginia show un-
mistakable signs Of throwing of
t,io inertia of generations. The
chief obstacle is an inherited con
Scrvatism in public expenditures
that balks at the idea of raising
money by means of a bond issue.
but this Is wearing off. and soon
they will have di1cS,ed the hard
fact that more money must be had
many millions, in fact-in order
To lift themselves out of the ouao-
mire and put the farmer on as easy
a road TO market rs his competing
neighbor across the Potomac en.
JOYS. Both political parties pro.
fess To favor a new policy, and
doubtless the members of the mex
legislature will 60 10 Richmond
willing TO authorize an increase il
the road tax now levied by tn,
counties. Once fairly started OF
the right road. the legislature viii
90 as far or farther than the Mary
landers in the matter of a lump
appropriation outright. - Wash
ington Post.
We agree with the Post that
Virginia could do much better than
it has done, and il will be recalled
that the COURIER has been urging
generous road expenditures con-
tinuously since the present editor
assumed charge of this paper.
Taking S235,O00 as a basis. it
can readily be seen that the average
amount for each of the one hun
dred counties is less than 50, 500.
No roads of any consequence can
be built with any such sum.
First-class macadam roads-the
kind Virginia should have-wilI
cost from $500 to 81, 900 per mile.
at least.
The. penny-wise pound-foolish
policy which has been followed in
Virginia in the matter of public
schools has been succeeded by a
more sensible regime.
When the people of the State
will realize that money-a great
deal of money-must be spent to
secure good roads, and the proper
steps are taken to secure such
funds, we shall see a genuine re-
vival in road-making in the Old
Dominion.
Until that time arrives, sensible
people can look for nothing be-
yond the same old mud-holes and
ruts which are found in any County
Road in the State.
Money talks for roads as we'll as
for schOols-and everything else.
How Attraction Acts.