The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1909-02-12
PLEA FOR COOL ROADS
J. W. Parmly Makes Strong Ar.
guments for Better Roads.

Ing and instructive address on the
subject of good roads before the I'M
proved Stock Breeders association re-
Gently. He said in part:
Roads are a measure Of civilization.
The food supply of the world passes
over our wagon roads.
The tonnage on our country roads
far exceeds that of the railroads.
Our road laws are out Of date.
They encourage incompetency, shift
lessness and make petty graft easily
possible.
Under them only farm property is
roads.
The automobile demands better
roads and is here to stay whether the
farmer is willing Or not.
No state in the Union can have bet
ter roads at less cost than South Da-
kota.
The greatest load which can be
hauled over a road is the load that
will go through the deepest mud hole
or up the steepest hill.
The earth road with gravel top
where possible is the practical road
for South Dakota conditions.
One of the great social and eco
nomic questions before the public to-
day is that of improving our high
ways.
Inland waterways, irrigation of the
semi-arid lands, the lakes-to-the-gulf-
railway are minor matters compared
with the building of good roads. |
can hardly overstate its inheritance.
The condition of the country roads af-
fectS he markets of the world in ell
Its range from a dozen eggs in the
corner grocery to the money market
or Wall street. On account of roads.
worse than usual in the corn-produc-
ing states. the farmer is unable to
market his crop of corn. Feed be-
coming short, stock unfinished is
rushed to the market at a loss. caus-
ing a Decline; and a successful co..
ner is made possible in the corr pit.
NV ISCdSi, tHS ldlIicl ana tiit COlil-
try dealer in either case is caught
between the upper and neither mill
stone.
The question before us is what is
the %remedy?" We face a condition
that must be changed before success
IN the making of good roads is reach
People must be educated and pub
lie sentiment must be created. The
economic Importance of better roads
must be taught to the farmer. | say
1t kindly but %advisedly and truthfully
when | say the farmers, who use the
roads most, are responsible for pres
ent conditions. The attempt on the
part of the business men to have bet
ter country roads Is resented in MANY
instances as an Interference with in
rights.
The history of road building shows
actual money saved resulting there
from to be several times greater than
he cost of building. A good Dad
along the main highway will add at
least five times its cost to the value
adjacent farms. 1t will pay rs per
cent per year interest on the invest
after paying for maintenance, A
country should borrow money on it's
bonds for building roads at S per cent.
The state should do 1t at 4 per cent.
The United States at 2 per cent.
The farmers in time of peace, tum.
bled over each other in voting $40
'oo for the state militia and defeated
/ bill providing for farmers institutes
costing $4,000 and finally when driy- |
to its passage cut the a%ppropria-
ion down to $4,000. They voted $50
for a law school building and vote
Town $4,000 for two years a%ppropria-
ion 70 eradicate and keep out infec-
i've stock diseases; they defeat
good, roads law and vote appropria-
ions, many OF them useless, putting
ne state in debt $500, 900. These
COMPARISONS could be extended, but I
viii not take your time Herewith. But !!
ust let me show the attitude Of the
farmer to the socalled good
Dads Dill of two years ago..
IN order to meet with more favor
With the tiller of the soil and the
tockman 1t was made optional as to
'hether 1t be adopted by a county or
No country had to have it if they
ID not want 1t. Yet 1t went down to
by farmer votes. There were
4 votes for the bill, SO against, 9 ab-
F~orty-five votes were necessary
0 pass-it thus lacked one vote only
I passing. OF the Sc votes against
bill 81 were farmers.
NO one took the floor in opposition
the bill. It was recognized by the
eadlng road experts as a model and
obtaining only the better features Of
laws of the most progressive road
ulldlng states. All the opponents
AID II 1t vas that it was in the in.
erests of the automobile and ahead
f It's time.
It's main features, and they are more
ere:
/. Payment of all road tavos 4,