Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1910-12-01


was considered, but unfavorably acted
upon at the last session Of the board
Of supervisors. Chapter 487 Of the laws
Of 1907 provides for a comprehensive
system Of highway Improvements. This
system has been adopted by neighbor
ing counties, to their advantage. But
Iowa county, to her hindrance, has re-
peatedly refused to conform to the law
of the state in this matter. We lag be-
hind, instead Of moving forward.
It is said that while the matter was
members Of the county board unani-
mously expressed themselves in favor
of highway improvements; but ma
iority doubted the wisdom Of adopting
the new sytem. And this is the point
which the writer wishes to consider.
Some Of the speakers in opposition
told, and truthfully too,-of their own
skill and industry in road making, in a
local way. While according to them
credit for all their good works, - it
should be remembered that desultory
efforts, however good in themselves,
are Of small moment as compared with
the adoption Of proper system which
will bring general and lasting good re-
suits.
The people of Wisconsin are going
to have a new highway system. They
are adopting that system now. The
law doubtless is not perfect. 1t will be
amended and improved. But Iowa
county, together with the other counties
of the state, will be taxed,-in fact is
even now being taxed, > under the new
order. 1t is the part of wisdom to place
ourselves in proper position to receive
some of the resulting benefits.
In the history Of the growth Of legis-
lation for public education there is a
striking analogy to the matter under
discussion, namely: the struggle to find
out a way to secure better public ser
vice from the highways.
In the autumn Of 1896 the parliament
of Scotland, during session at which
the attendance was thin, passed an act
for the settling of schools. OF this act
Macaulay says:
BY this memorable law it was, in
the Scotch phrase, statuted and ordain
ed that every parish in the realm should
provide a cOmmodious SchoolhOuse and
should pay a moderate stipend to
schoolmaster. The effect could not be
Immediately felt But, before one gen
GRAFTON had passed away, it began to be
evident that the common people of
Scotland were superior in intelligence to
the common people Of any other country
in Europe. To whatever land the
Scotchman might wander, to whatever
calling he might betake himself, in
America or in India, in trade or in war,
the advantage which he derived from
his early training raised him above his
competitors. If he was taken into a
warehouse as a porter he soon became
foreman. If he enlisted in the army, he
soon became sergeant. Scotland,
meanwhile in spite of the barrenness of
her soil and the severity OF her climate,
made such progress in agriculture, in
manufactures, in commerce, i'll letters,
in science, in all that constitutes civil
cation, as the Old World has never seen
equalled, and as even the New World
has scarcely seen surpassed.
The wonderful and benefcent change
so graphically described by the great
historian is justly attributed to the ma
tional sytem of education which was
established by a simple act of legisla
ton. 1t is a self evident proposition
that the right kind of legislation given
force and effect by willing people
would work wonders in the highways
of Iowa county.
school system in this country was 81
fenced by the successful operation of
the sytem itself, and by the great bene-
fits resulting therefrom, one often heard
the same arguments used i'll opposition
to the public schools as one hears used
today against the sytematic public i'm
provement of the highways. The oppo
sition then championed private schools,
select schools, or any other kind of
schools, as against the public schools.
Now those who oppose state aid in the
construction of highways are heartily
in favor of good roads, but they favor
methods which have always failed, and
reject the most feasible plan by which
they can be secured.
The fathers of this great republic
were wise enough to safeguard the in
ferests of public education. By the
very effective means of state aid they
insured agaist its neglect even in the
smallest political unit = the sparcely
settled school district.
The people are awakening to the
great and lasting benefits to be derived
from good roads; and, guided by the
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