Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1910-08-10
GOOD ROADS APPEAL.
Timely Paper in Advocacy of.
Better Roads. Saluda and
Aiken Claying Their
Roads.

I 1t is with great deal of pleasure
that | note the signs -ef awakening
in Edgefeld county in regard to the
miserable condition Of our roads.
The articles recently written by Mr..
Gooding and Mr.. Parker are time
ly and to the point, and I am sorry
that more of our prominent men
have not had something to say upon
the subject. 1 feel sure that every
intelligent man and woman in the
county realizes the Importance of
the question, and that silence is due
solely to the fact that they are
waiting for some one else to take
the initiative.
Good roads are matter Of inter
est to all. The city man needs
them for pleasure and business.
The merchants, doctors and law
yers are interested in good roads be-
cause they exert a profound influence
over their business. The railroads
are much interested in thi. subject.
If the wagon roads that lead to,
the depots are good. it may not
really. increase their business. But.
above all the farmers are dependent
upon the condition of the roads.
For the lack of good roads the far
mer suffers more than any other
class of people and bad roads con-
stitute one of the greatest draw
backs to rural life. This is we'll
shown by the fact that localities
having a system of good roads are,
becoming richer, more prosperous,
and more thickly settled each year,
while those which do not possess
these advantages of transportation
are either at standstill or are becom-
ing poorer and more thinly settled.
If these conditions continue
fruitful farms may be aban-
doped and rich land go to- waste :
As aresult Of bad roads, life on the
farm is often isolated and barren of
social enjoyments and pleasures
and in some communities country
people suffer snch great disavan-
tages that ambition is checked, en-.
ergy weakened and industry paral-
yzed. Like good streets, good roads
render habitation along them de-
sirable. They economic time and
force in transportation of produce;
reduce wear and tear on horses,
harness and vehicles, and enhance
the market value of our real estate.
Good roads raise the value of farm
lands and farm products and tend
to beautify the county through
which they pass. They facilitate rur-
al delivery Of the mails and are an
aid to education, religion and So
ciety. They increase facilities for
going to church, for visiting and
for social intercourse and would so
change farm life in many communi-
ties as to make it entirely different,
causing many objections, to living
on farm to disappear. Farmers
could then keep in touch with the
world and have greater sympathy
with the age in which they live.
Charles Sumner once said roads
and school-masters are the two most
agents in advancing civ
ilization. In this connection, lit
should be mentioned that the rela-
tion of the public roads to educa-
ton is one which has been largely
overlooked. 1t is more or less
well known fact that we have in all
of our states a number of illiterates.
While there are number of con-
causes to illiteracy, it is
to note that those states
having the highest percentage of
roads, have the lowest
percentage of illiterates, and vMe
versa. 1t is probable that bad
roads are partly cause and partly
the effect of ignorance. but it GER
tainly appears that the two are
closely related.
Since Saluda county has been cut
from Edgefeld she is getting most
of her sand roads iclayed. Aiken ,
county has about 5000 miles of
,layed roads.
E. NJ. Padgett,
Trenton, S. c.