The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-07-06
GOOD ROADS DEPARTMENT
By the Good Roads League.

Manufacturers Record deals with a
phase Of the road question that we
expected to discuss today as being Of
the highest Importance.
Mr.. Edmunds, who has done as
much for the South as any other man,
expresses our view of the matter so
we'll that we simply publish his ar
ticle. He says the gospel Of good
roads should be preached with the
zeal of missionary. He makes it
plain that the gospel Of good roads
has a vital connection with the gos-
pei Of Christ in this Southland. Here
us the article
Preaching the Gospel Of Good Roads.
Manufacturers Record.
The good roads movement which
has taken hold Of the country will be
very far reaching in its effect. We are
entering upon period in which there
is to be revolution NIGHTLY affect
ing social conditions and educational
and religious advancement, period
in which the loneliness Of farm life is
to be banished by the closer intercom-
munication between the people Of the
agricultural districts with each other
and with adjacent towns and cities.
Bad roads have meant more than SIM
ply an enormous Joss, a wastage Of
time and effort in getting the
products of the farm to market and
the merchandise which the farmer
buys from the depot back to the
country place. The aggregate cost of
bad roads runs into the hundreds of
millions Of dollars annually, and the
farmers and the people away from; the
centers Of population are the ones
who have had to pay the cost:
When one begins seriously to con-
template the changes which are being
brought on US by the development Of
the internal combustion engine, the
benefit Of the motor boat and the mo-
tor car, the small farm engine, the "a
cility of travel which these things
and good roads will bring about, the
imagination is apt to almost stagger
US with the limitless possible advance
ment of the period upon which we
have entered. The man who is work
ing for the building Of good roads is
directly working for the betterment
of mankind He is working for the
advancement of education and re-
ligion and for all that makes fot the
highest civilization. Of what use are
schools and churches in country dis
tricts if for five or six months of the
year country roads are so impassable
that they cannot be attended? Of
what value to the grower are the
products of farms which can only
reach the market at cost Of trans
portation by wagon which eliminates
all profits? The charm Of country,
the beauty Of nature are pictured as
reasons why farm life should appeal
to the people, but when farm means
drudgery and separation from friends
by reason Of bad roads, it is not to
be wondered at that the people Of
the agricultural districts, young and
old, crowd the cities n:order to get a
place where modern conveniences and
modern comforts Of daily travel are
available. The construction of good
roads will change this. It will add a
thousandfold to the charms Of coun-
try life. =. It will increase the pros
perity Of the farmers: It will be the
most powerful factor in stemmlng the
movement of population towards the
city and making the country boy and
girl happy at home. The gospel OF
good roads ought to be preached with
the zeal Of the missionary. and the
farmer. the merchant. the manufact-
uier and the banker, and above all
else. the women of the country dis
tricts ought to be incessant workers
for the building of good roads. Let
us not leave unto the future genera
tions that which we should do to-
day.
The South. which has fingered so
far in the rear in this work, should
take it up with greater energy than
any other section. and in this way
overcome the deficiencies of the past
and take the lead in the construction