The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-08-05
Farmers and AutOists Unite il
a Campaign.
Will Advocate Better HIGHWAYS
in Shawnee County.
EFFECTIVE EFFORTS
Appeals to Commissioners BRING
Results.
News of Interest Among Motor
Car Owners.

Behlnd the movement for the To-
peka-Lyndon rock road, the Waka-
rusa road, the Topeka-Tecumseh road
and the Improvement of Calhoun
Bluffs is enlisted the strength of a
score OF garages and automobile deal
erS and the sympathy of 1000 Shaw
nee county car owners. When the
ruralists came to Topeka TO advocate
better highways, they made no wiser
move than when they enlisted the
support of the Topeka machine men.
IL was Just a few years ago when
the shawnee county farmer Stunned
the advent of the automobile and re-
Sented the intrusion of the smiling,
dirty faced chauffeur on his farm. In
those palmy days the dirt road was
good enough for the farmer and he
was willing to suffer a bit that the
car owner might wax profane over
the condition of the highways
But in three years times have
changed The car owner and the
FARMER with the output of his land are
on an equal plane. The farmer has
learned-by persistent persuasion,
perhaps-that what Is good for the
man with the touring car is also good
for the farmer
1t was the car owners who ever
lastlngly hammered the officials until
they graded the roads. Then the
hammering continued until Shawnee
county came to own mile after mile
of good rock, gravel and oil roads
and the standard of the dirt roads in
creased a hundred fold. 1t didn't re-
quire much time for the farmer to
note the change. The Shawnee coun-
ty farmer is not back number; and
when his advantages are once DEM
onstrated, he is as well aware of q
good thing as the man who lives in
town on paved street. These farm
ers saw that a load of corn or hay
could be hauled to the market over
the dG faoa
effort on the part of the teams and in
less time than in the days when the
roads were mended only when the
road overseer had nothing else to do.
Since that time the speaking ac-
quaintance which existed between the
farmer and the car owner has in
creased to a sort of mutual admira-
ton. When the autoist complains to
the farmer these days that the road
in a certain locality is not what it
ought to be, that farmer lends an at
tentive ear. Then when the farmer
comes to town and complains that a
bit of highway should be rebuilt the
town man concurs and the two start
something that usually brings results.
so, when few days ago the farm
ers wanted a road-a good road mind
you-from Topeka to Lyndon, they
took the matter up with the dealers
in motor cars and the dealers in mo-
tor cars took the matter up with the
dozen sources the commissioners of
Shawnee and Usage counties began to
learn of the needs of their constitu-
ents. The result is that something
will probably be done.
When Wakarusa wanted a good
road recently, her township officials
told the auto drivers. The two told
the commissioners. Some of the COM
missioners own cars, too. So the needs
of Wakarusa will not be overlooked.
1t was the same systematic and mu-
tual combination that resulted in the
Improvement of Calhoun Bluffs. It
was the same organization that start
ed things for a new road to Te-
cumseh.
This plan has been a great thing in
many respects. It has brought the
farmer and the machine owner in
closer relationship. It has brought
Topeka as a market center closer to
the people. For tho man who has
automobiles to sell, it has afforded
the one strongest talking point for
motor cars-good roads.
And the good roads movement in
Shawnee county is Onlv started.