The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-10-10

laton. In seven months OF 1909 It has
voted Sl.SOO.OOO for good roads. standing
sixth among the Southern States.
-Four counties are involved In this big
vote--Duval, 100000; Manatee. $3.50, 900;
st, Lucle. $50. 600. and Leon, 100000. The
explanation Of the Duval vote is JacA-
sonville and its ambitions and possibly its
contact with the fever for good roads in
Georgia But the explanation Of Mana
tee Is almost safely agriculture and the
need OF getting produce out TO the world
after nature has done its kindly best to
grow IT. The Leon County vote is ex-
planned by the growing Importance OF
Tallahassee, the State capital.
THE miscellaneous expenditures Of the
past seven months shows West Florida
to be waking It's type Of condition has
been similar TO that OF Mobile County,
Ala Santa Rosa County seems to be
taking the lead with an expenditure OF
$4,000 for thirty miles. Escambia County
may be depended on for more activity
later, as Pensacola viii be dissatisfied
with its few miles northward TO Fiona
ton and will push for the county. In
passing 1t is fair to mention that Pensa-
cola has at one jump during the past
seven months increased its paved area
over 1900 per cent and is adding TO IL
every little while. This is typical OF the
awakening in some extreme Southern
cities.
"Dade County OF which Miami Is the
chief city, IL adding TO its improved mile
age. and so 8 Hillsboro, OF which Tampa
is the chief city While on the subject
OF Florida II Is Just 10 say the state is
working on some very large projects OF
canals. which may perhaps be ranked as
good roads They are good in Holland.
anyway, and viii be good In Florida.
Georgia One OF the Leaders.
Georgia may be said to be the Invest
old State in the South. 1t stands third
on bond votes, having pledged itself
$2.119oo0 since March. But this does not
even touch the edge.of the activity. There
IS to be more money spent in the next
year by counties not voting for bonds
than the 100000 mentioned - Stewart
County, 600 miles; Pulaski. 300; McDuffie.
200; Crisp. 100; Ben Hill. H. and Dooly,
100 Thirty-six counties in Georgia are
going at the road problem with vigor.
The explanations are many-newspaper
agitation, the State geologists' work, au-
tomobile ownership, and the plain horse
sense OF the farmer. These elements in
any State. when they once pull together
viii move the State.
The most solid bond issue was that OF
Muskogee County. an even $1.0O0,000; ex-
PLANTATION. the growing Importance OF
Columbus and its environs. But by COM
parison with Il think OF the nerve OF Clay
County. pledging itself 10 spend $500. 900
for 800 miles OF road and yet there are
only two post-offices IN the entire county.
Before leaving Georgia It Is right to
refer 10 the prepOnderating influence OF
Atlanta IN the matter OF good roads. The
work Of the newspapers there has been
peculiarly effective in every direction Il
is impossible 20 avoid mentioning John
3 Cohen, OF the Journal, whose eyes
have been turned northward 90 cooper
ate with the New York Heral5:: Clark
Howell, OF the Constitution. whose spe-
cial triumph viii be a highway from At
lanta to Jacksonville and intervening
points, and Mr.. Seeley OF the Georgian,
whose speeches 10 farmers and others at
barbecues have been effective. Such men
make journalism a constructive force and
are more than mere purveyors Of news
/ they are State builders.
Kentucky Seems LethRrgic.
Kentucky has not voted any road
bonds since March. There is or has been
a curious condition Of lethargy there. Its
laws permit bonding. but since 1891. when
the methods OF taxation became embed
| ded in the constitution itself, there has
been little activity in comparison with
the need and the opportunity. Yet Ken
lucky stood in 1904 at the top OF the
Southern list for stone-surface roads
over 5000 miles out OF a total OF 5000
miles. This was good, but not very meri-
torious. FOR the limestone used was the
easiest thing 10 get
The significant thing Is that Kentucky,
with this peculiarly favorable material,
has many rural regions. east and west.
that are almost inaccessible. There is a
stir Of feeling In Central Kentucky at
least over this matter. for the fact that
ffty-one counties take more from the
State treasury than they put in-pauper
counties-and these are almost exclusive
ly the poor road counties. has aroused
attention.
The eastern and western portions OF
Kentucky will pay for good roads over
and over as these neglected portions are
rich in products above and below ground.
Kentucky can be depended upon TO bring
about a change. There Is at this mo-
ment a strong agitation 10 lift the tax
question out OF the constitution and 10
free the state from a tax rightly that
iniicts inequality while appearing to
strive for equality.
louisiana has voted on S2es,0OO worth
Of bonds since March, placing it tenth