The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1910-03-18
FOR BETTER ROADS.
AMERICA AWAKENING TO THE IMPOR.
TANCE OF GOOD ROADS.
France Spent $6OO,OO0,OOO I'm Con-
StructiOn OF Roads and Spends
$lS,OOO,OOO Annually in
Keeping them In
Repair.

The outlook is that the General As
sembly will make final disposition
this week Of the good roads measures
introduced by Senator Bosworth and
passed, as a result of his efforts, i'm
the upper house. The columns Of a
newspaper will not contain all of the
arguments that may be made for good
roads, and against the unthrift of neg
lecting road building. There has been
within recent years an awakening in
America to the Importance of con-
strLcting good highways. Now Is the
time for Kentucky to catch step with
other States in this matter. The Bos-
worth-Wyatt amendment to the Ken
lucky constitution was thoughtfully
adopted, and its adoption was virtual
ly an Injunction to the General Assem-
bly, to enact such laws as it might
deem adequate to the Inauguration of
good roads policy along the lines OF
reasonable economy. If there are in
the plans proposed by the pending leg
islation any errors that should be cor
rected it is in order to discuss, and
correct them. The author of the bills
has invited such discussion. To fail
to enact good roads legislation
would be to defer for two years bust
ness that must be entered upon sooner
or later, and the members of the Gen
eral Assembly would be left under the
charge of having fiagrantly disregard
ed the will OF the people as expressed
in the adoption of the Constitutional
amendment.
Well informed students of social
progress may differ as to plans of Sc
curing good roads. But opposition to
expenditures for highway improve
ment, if such expenditures are pro-
vided for under sound and carefully
considered laws, can proceed only
from ignorance. Everyone whose range
Of vision extends beyond the bounda-
ries of his own county knows that an
important factor in the foundation of a
cOuntrys civilization il road building.
Everyone who has given intelligent at
tention to farming problems and
freight rates knows that bad roads are
the worst sort OF extravaganza to a
farming community, and that good
roads are the best form of thrift It
is hardly necessary to say that, unlike
many kinds Of extravaganza, that
which il expressed in bad roads gives
no temporary satisfaction. The econo-
my represented by good roads adds to
the pleasure of living, and tends more
than anything else to eliminate the
element of isolation that is tradition
ally associated with country life.
The existence or non-existence of
roads determines the question of
whether a country Is occupied by a
civilized people or by savages. Sim
ilarly the degree OF the enlightenment
of country Or section of a country
might be ascertained by passing over
| it in a balloon and studying with
glasses the extent and character of it's
system of roads. To its road builders
no less than to its warriors, were due
the growth and greatness of the RO-
man Empire. Not the least of the sur
viving monuments that attest the gen
JUS of the Romans, is the Appian Way,
which was begun by Caesar Appius
Claudius more than 1000 years ago.
1t is the boast Of Great Britain that
her roads provide the quality of her
civilization, and that the highways she
has constructed in her African and
Asian possessions prove the benefici-
ence Of her rule. France, which Is IA
nous for the thrift of it's working
classes, probably leads the world to-
day in the completeness of her system
OF roads and their quality. With an
area only about five times as great as
that Of Kentucky, France has spent
$500, 900 in the construction of pub
lie roads, and spends annually three
per cent. Of the cost Of construction
$4,000, Bookkeeping them in repair.
III the State Of Kentucky had spent
$120, 100000 to gridiron her 40,40G
miles Of territory with good roads, and
were spending $3,6OO,OOO year to
maintain them, the expenditure would
be proportionate to that which France
| has found profitable in an area five
times as large. lit Is, OF course, to be
considered that France has a popula-
ton between fifteen and twenty times
as large as that of Kentucky, and that
the per capita circulation Of money in
France is the highest i'm the world.
But upon the other hand it is demon
strable that good roads produce as
well as reflect, prosperity in France.
lit is conceded that in the United
States more money is wasted in main
tanning shift1ess bad roads than would
have to be expended to maintain double
the mileage Of economical good roads.
If we had properly constructed high
ways there would result not only a
great saving i'm cheaper transporta-
ton, but also in road maintenance
Taken as whole the United States
! has worse public roads than any high
| ly civilized country This il due, OF
course, to the comparative youth of
American civilization, and the earnest
attention that is being given to the
economical Improvement OF roads will
result i'm the evil being remedied. In
the forward movement Kentucky
should not be left behind
Under the legislation proposed
greater burden of taxation would fall
upon the most densely populated Sec
tons Oh Kentucky and upon rich cor
porations. This is fair, and, because
OF their greater appreciation OF the
benefits arising from road improve
ment, the inhabitants OF cities and Of
ficers of railroads are the readiest sup
porters Of good roads policy. It is
said that some of the representatives
from the richer Bluegrass counties,
which are all ready provided with fair
ly good roads, are opposed to the Bos-
worth measure. The State cannot be