The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1909-07-15
VIRGINIA. ROADS

The energy with which Virginia i
pushing the movement for good roads.
particularly the proposal for "a modern
hig b way from Washington IN Richmond.
u significant sign OF the times. The
seed sown a lew years ago by iar-sightsd
advocates 81 better highbays Is he<in-
ming TO bear It's rich harvest of fruit
The iarmsFs have awakened tn the fact
that the heaviest tsr they pay Is that ex-
acted from them by ill-1ept highway.
which IN many cases rob them 81 their
best market, and under the most iAvora-
HE condition eat up a large perc-u tage
OF the profit gu their products
American roads. wish few exceptions.
have been long the laughing stock 81 the
world. Millions upon millions have been
spsnt by taxpayers IN them ia short
sighted, letharsic ignorance 81 proper
methods 81 construction. aud most ~ 10
has been utterly wasted.
Carefully gathered statistics show that
th.. cOuutry's annual trihute tn poor
70 ais j. almost $500. 600 600 THAI ~
the iarmsr, the miner and the nanuiae-
torer. who haul their products over our
ili-kept roads, expend for transportation
$500 600 900 more than they would Y
American roads were rs good as those
Of Europe Ii isau enormous yearly tax.
and - daplorabl- waste 81 national
wealth When viewed a. annual int.i-
est. which 70 Is, in a way, IL gives thr
principal a staggering total
The broad minded leaders % pOblie
opinion In Virginia are wide awake 10
the importance of good roads To the eco
homie development Of the STATE. and the
Legislature has appropriated $3.50 600
annually for the construction of model
highways, beginning this year
h. q IN
Of the public funds that will Yield such
harvest OF Increased wealth 20 the Stat.
and 10 4 eminently fitting that the HE
toric highway from Washington 50 hich-
mond, almost every loot Of IL instinct
with memories OF the past. should b. a
monument 10 the energy. enterprise ana
fRr-sighted wisdom oi old Virginia -
Washington Post.
The above from she Washington
Post is an apt expression OF modern
thought towards she Improvement
OF our highways. The time is rapidly
drawing near when she man who OPP
poses the construction OF good roads
will be like the Post says our roads
have been, the laughing stock OF the
world. There is not a single sound
argument against the building oi per
manent roads; there are a thousand
unanswerable ones in favor Of build
ing them. The one thing necessary
to be arrived at in Virginia II the
best financial method Of building
them, and long years Of disastrous
experimenting has convinced two
thirds of our people shat she only
practical and satisfactory method is
by means of county bond ISSUES and
State aid. Fourteen millions OF
bonds have been issued by counties
In Southern States in she past few
years for this purpose, and todsy
county after county Il falling in she
line Of march, which means progress
and prosperity. II the cities can Is
sue bonds for all kinds Of municipal
purposes, why should she counties
hesitate to issue them for their most
important public work? As she Post
says, Virginia Is thoroughly aroused
on the subject and old fogyism is
giving place to progressiveness and
a determination 30 remedy present
conditions. Spotsylvania county,
We confidently believe. will fall in line
at she first opportunity.