The Marshall republican., 1909-05-14

The need for a new kind OF cour
try schools cannot be met SO long
as our dirt roads, which at certain
seasons are almost impossible pre-
vena the attendance of the farm
er's children at cen.ralizsd schools
where they could have all the cd.
vantages OF a graded school In
connection with a high school
Central schools of this kind are
now being established in SONS
sections OF the country, where
good roads permit OF the pupils
of an entire township being trans
ported to them daily from their
homes, and with the extension Of
improved roads this school sys-
tenn would become general. 1t car
thus be seen that of the three re-
forms which in the opinion OF the
President have been shown to be
urgently desirable, road improve
ment is' the most important, as il
would aid in making the Others
practicable.
That highway improvement Is
the most important economic re-
form has long been urged by the
farmers, who, through their prin-
cipal organization, the National
Grange, have been persistently agi
tating for the adoption OF a POI
icy OF Federal aid for good road
construction and maintenance.
The declaration by the Country
Life Commission that the estab-
lishmena OF a fully s~erviceable
highway system is d matter of
national concern, absolutely es-
sentiaP to our internal develop
ment, should serve to hasten the
enactment of legislation providing
for the creation of a National
Highwaya Commission, and maxi
ing liberal appropriations for
carrying on its work.
The direct connection between
good roads and the value of/farm
lands is shown in a striking man
ner in Bulletin No. 3S oft he U. 8.
Department of Agriculture. This
Bulletin gives the results of an
investigation by the Office of Pub
lie Roads of that Department e
to public road mileage, rev.
enues, improved roads and expen-
ditureD in the United States in
the year 1904, and the information
containedt herein is OF great im-i
portance in connection with the
movement on behalf of the syste-
matte Improvement OF the public
The returns from various states
show that IN nearly every case
the States having the highest per
centage, Of improved roads have
the largest population per mile
Of road, thus showing that better
roads are a powerful factor in en-
couragingl the settlement OF UNI
used lands, especially in sparsely
sections OF the country.
Good roads are also an import
ant influence in retaining in the
farming districts the desirable
elements who might otherwise
drift into the towns and cities. AS
the price of farm lands depends
On their productivity, accessible
to markets, and population en-
gagged, or desiring to engage, in
agricultural pursuits, it follows
that road improvement, by attract
ing additional settlers, and giving
them better facilities for reaching
heir markets, directly tends to in
crease the values of all farm lands
the radius of the roads i'm
proved.
Al comparison of the percens-
age of the improved roads OF the
various States shows that the
average percentage of the improv-
ed roads in all States where farm
is worth less than $40 per
acre is only 1.s per cent; whereas
in the States where the average
is more than 500, improved
constitute an average of 9
per cent OF the total mileage.
While there may be minor caus-
es OF variations in the value of
lands it is an undoubted fact
That as a general rule the higher
OF certain States r lrge-
W due to their superior roads.
Records on file in the Office OF
Roads show that farm lands
haze been known to advance in
from so to 500 per cent on c
count Of the Improvement OF the
roads connecting them with mar
ket towns.
When the. facts secured by the
Department of Agriculture become