The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1910-04-21

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service would be greatly increased.
In other words the bad road condi-
tions cause a waste and unnecessary
expense of at least s7.000,000 per year,
which is paid by all the people upon
the one item of rural delivery.
Good roads are found practically
everywhere in Great Britain, Cont.
mental Europe, and even in far-of Aus
tralia and New Zealand the road
builder has done his work we'll. Even
in Brazil, Argentine and other South
American countries are to be found
many highly improved and well cared
for highways.
The query arises-why is this so,
and why are the people most noted
for both enterprise and extravaganza
so far behind the rest Of the world?
AS an advertiser says: There's a
reason" II lies In certain misconcep-
tions that have prevailed in this coun-
try from the first. Among these we
may mention the following:
The public roads were regarded
purely as a local matter; a subject
relegated by law and common con
sent to the small unit of the township
or the smaller one of the road dis
trict; that the condition OF the high
ways in any locality affected only the
local territory and was no concern
of the great mass of people the coun-
try over. In the earlier days before
the advent OF railroads this concep-
tion was largely true; there was little
or no commerce between the states
there were no great, broad market re.
ports flashed daily from one end OF
the country to the other, and each 10.
cality bought and sold upon its needs.
The conditions have changed and
this change necessitates a new con
ception as to the importance Of the
highways. Now food products are
shipped thousands OF miles from
where they are produced and proper
distribution is one of the great ques-
tions of the age. SO perfect and
widespread has become the system OF
distribution that prices rise and fall
upon conditions covering not only the
entire country but In fact the whole
world. As matters now stand the cost
and facility of transportation over
country roads are OF prime impor
tance. Thus the local question has
become a national one.
! In Ohio. Just at this time both ouI
roads and our road laws are In a cha
ctiC condition and something must bc
done to better the laws and improve
the roads and while we are awaiting
national aid and greater state aid lei
SO follow the suggestion of the Ohio
Good Roads Federation and busy our
selves and enact county road Law
which will fairly distribute the cos
of the construction and maintenance
Of the roads between the county the
township and the land owner. Anoth
er great misconception has been tina
| the country roads belonged to the
farmer-it was his duty to build an,
maintain them. After prevailing fol
one hundred and fifty years this ideI
has now given way. The new anC
true conception Is that the roads ar
public property and It is the duty o
the whole public to look after fits own
II Is true that the farmer derives
the greatest direct benefit from goo'
roads, for he can haul more in les
time and at all seasons of the yea
and the farmer located on the bat
road must deliver his corn, wheat ant
hogs when he can get out on his road
which always occurs when the mar
ket is flooded with grain and meat
and the combinations, trusts and col
ers are controlling and beating dow
The price by crying "over production
on offering some other reason for cal
rying on their nefarious skin game"
while the farmer located on the goo,
road can take 1t easy at home witt
wealth In his granary and await tn
return of more favorable maj
ket Good roads would enable tn
farmer to deliver his grain or mea
any week of the year while presen
conditions OF roads in most localitie
compels the farmer to market hi
products when the roads are dry o
frozen regardless of the prices Of
fered
On bad road the farmer must d,
pend upon the weather which govern
the condition of his road, and is at tn
mercy of the Chicago and Baltimor
market manipulation when he deliver
his products, but II on a good roa
with rural delivery of mail, and q telt
phone at his ear, he can take speed
advantage of e, cry good market r'
2ort
j But the roads run In as well as Gu
= the village or city, and IL is luck
FOR the village or city that they do, 70
it is very profitable to have loads G
farm produce coming in as well a
! leads of merchandise going out.
) Roads are getting more valuabl
1 each year to residents of the villag
and the city, for thousands of locs
. citizens are every day using them 10
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