The Democratic advocate., 1909-04-23
TURNPIkBs GOOD ENOUGH.
The State should Take Some Bad Road
and Make II Good.

ana make II 600ds
D. Webster Groh. Of Hagerstown,
writes as follows to the Baltimore
American:
The many persons who appeared
before the State Roads Commission
In Baltimore, February 26 advocating
different routes from that of the old
National pike as proposed; indicate an
almost unanimous opposition thereto.
People generally want more good
roads, not merely substitution Of a
state road for an already good pike
a policy that will not increase our good
road mileage one foot, but may, tenn
porarily at least. even decrease our
mileage Of good Highways
The state should take some bad road
and make II good thus relieving our
county commissioners OF that expense
and permitting them 70 devote the
money thus saved To improving the
remaining roads. The pike companies
have so greatly benefited us that our
county commissioners formerly took
stock IN them to encourage them, and
the attempt TO oust or parallel or con-
denim these. our very best roads, is a
complete reversal OF former idens un-
der which we grew so prosperous.
AS our pixies are about the only good
roads we have. why destroy them or
turn them over to county or state care,
as happened to the National pike west
OF the Connococheagne, whoIch Is now
so much complained about? The pos
sible. nay, probable. reapeal OF state
road law that repairs nothing but
roads already good would then cause
our county commissioners to make
much more road than they are now
Obliged to do. Offering us good roads
where roads are already good aeemH
like Offering another good coat TO him
who already has an excellent one. but
whose aeedy breeches sadly need re-
pairs. II be who wears clothing should
pay for It's making. likewise he whose
travelling wears out road should
proportionaily pay for its mendlug.
a. toilpayers do.
II is as honorable and legitimate 10
profit by matchmaking as by mer-
chandlaing or any other useful indus-
try, and the state has no more reason
20 oust or run one than the other. In
case II did either, however. II should
as necessarily pay full price for the
one labor product az for the other.
having no right whatever 10 confIBcate
or discriminate in either case. And
even the most ultra state socialist who
would confiscate everything 10 the
state ought certainly 10 be sufficiently
fair TO treat all Industries sImultane-
oualy alike ana not coniecats one be-
fore another Furthermore. though
pixies built by the average stock com.
pany cost only about 81 500 per mile
against about $4,000 per mile for the
average Shoemaker or state road, and
probably proportionase rates for year
~ maintenance, yet the former have
even been rnn nt a considerable aver
age loss of interest, an their stocks
depreciation below par clearly proves.
And certainly tho travelling toiIpayer
has reaped the benefit Of this stock
hoidera' loaa. which represents how
much less ho paid" for use ef The good
pike than ~ coat 10 make a."
A. governments provefbiaily pay
high prices for inferior services
through political "graft." etc. individ.
uala by watching their personal in.
forests and patronage more closely,
invariably accomplish very much more
with the Same money. And as the
travelling public shnuid---And would
eventually pay for the road making.
pike companies will doubtless con
tlnbe 10 give II much more fof the
money than the state possibly can.
for that part of the state called The
county" has already been Swing uH
the bad mud roads," Of which there
has been 30 very much complaint
And n our own local vitality interest
ed, responsible county commission.
ers, who personally know the man
ayers and workmen 10 whom they en-
trust the roa6making. can't satisfy
travellers for the expenditures, how
much lese will foreign, uuacqualntea,
irresponsible iappolBtedl state road
commissioners do ~ Until our
local part af the athte----ths county
OF the state itself once gives un bet
ter road az less coat than our plkcs.
II Ahnuld certainly leave them alone
and make only our county mud roads.