Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1911-11-29
The COST Uf LIVING
.e,reta.y o. Agriculture James +.
:. ilson Solves Problem.
GOOD hOADS as THE SOLUTION
Venerable Agricultural Expert Out
lines Necessity Tor Public
Road improvement.

At the recent meeting of the
American COO. Rods Congress at
kichn ond, Va, good roads as related
to the cost of living was discussed
by United States Secretary of Agri-
culture James Wilson. He declared
the cost of living would be red4ced
when tDere wa; established a more
intimate relation between the pro-
ducer and tie consumer.
The value of farm land and the
extent and character of pro !uction
thereon are inuuenced largely, the
secretary pointed out, by the con Il
ton of the public roads. Many pro-
ducts cannot be transported for long
distances over poor roads, so that
farmers n such countries must raise
crops that are not perishabIe. This
works loss to both pro0ucer and
con sumner, to the former In that he
must deliver his goods wien the
roads permit, to the latter In tn at he
must pay higher prices than II good
roads would permit the farmer to
deliver his milk, fruit AMI vegetables
with less wear and tear on horses
and wagons and In less tine.
Every farmer should. merely as a
matter Of self interest, be q strong
advocate Of road improvement and
should give practical support to a
movement looking to the betterment
Of present conditions.
Turning to what has BEEN done In
this direction by the department OF
agriculture through its bureau OF
good roads, the secretary declared
that as a result of object lesson roads
CONSTRUCTED by the bureau in variore
states nearly 10000 miles OF good
roads has been built. Last year II
was found from a careful investi-
cation made in connection with
twenty-eight short object iesson
roads, none of them more than a
mile in length, that 73O miles OF
additional road had been completed
and that an increase of $780, 600
had been expended in the work.
These object lesson roads, are con-
structed under the direction or en-
gineers from the bureau of good
roads, whose services are given alb.
solutely free of cost to the loca,
communities, although the road it.
self must be built at the cost OF the
locality. Our laboratories for the
testing of road materials are now
considered the foremost in the world
and provide for the ties ing of road
materials o determine their relative
value, such tests being made free OF
charge for any citizen OF. the United
States. In addition. our Laboratories
are working constantly on the prob
lem of devising materials and com.
binations of materials for the con.
struction and treatment Of roads tc
meet modern traffic conditions
brought about By the introduction
OF the automobile. He spoke of 6
number OF experiments made In var
ious places with different kinds Of
road material.
Enormous expenditures for road
improvement during the past few
years. he asserted, make it necessary
for the work to be done right and
the money wisely expended. The re-
sources Of the department of agricul-
ture to help local authorities in get
ting their moneys worth whenever
they had any roads to build, were
he declared, open to the command oil
the various communities.