The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1911-06-03


cred an address to the good roads
congress recently held in Birmingham
on the Effects of Good Roads on I'm
migration"
, He spoke in part as follows:
at is customary, as we all know, to
preface a public talk or speech with
some perfunctory remarks; but mine
will be limited, at least, in expressing
my sincere pleasure that l am per
United to be with you, to participate
in your deliberations, and to make my
modest contribution to the subject in
the interest of which this congress is
assembled.
"If a section is poor in public i'm
provements, it is at a disadvantage,
since it fails to attract strangers.
Now, apply the rule to an agricultural
section. We will say that the depart
ment l represent has induced a citi-
zen of a northern state accustomed
to the use and presence of good roads
to visit the south in search of home
for his family.
THE bad road at the very beginning
takes a heavy toll from the possible
settler.
when he returns to his old home he
paints a picture. He tells the story of
his hardships and his disappoint-
ments. He tells of the poor farm
houses-good enough for such roads,
but repelling to the eyes of thrift.
This is an advertisement of the Sec
ton he had visited; and all the effort
and all the money expended previous
ly in his neighborhood creating SEN
that section of bad roads are wasted,
and not one from his neighbOrhood
nor from any other community he can
reach will listen to us or to any other
who may attempt to secure settlers
for a section rich perhaps in possibili-
ties, but damned by its bad roads.
Another Example.
"Take another example, that of the
actual settler. Good soils, fine eli
mate, heavy yields of crops, excellent
conditions for stock, have induced him
to locate in a particular section. He
succeeds as well as his neighbors,
gathers good crops, and there are
markets waiting for them. But the
roads are impossible; he must wait;
and while he waits his product loses
value, or is decaying and lost alto
gether; or the market declines; or all
OF these things occur together, and he
is a loser instead of gamer. The
bad road did it. That neighborhood
loses a good citizen and neighbor, and
is advertised abroad as an undesirable
section. He has written to his old
neighbors and warned them to keep
away from 1t.
Evils of Bad Roads.
Another, and most serious evil in,
| lANtCu ny Deiu lOduo WlClONSl lilCJ CA
list is their prevention of educational
progress. You find the fewest schools
the smallest attendance in school dis
tricts cursed by bad roads. Every hard
ship imposed upon pupil in going tC
and coming home from the school is
an impeachment thrown in his way
Into such q section comes a prospoc
tive settler Back al his homo he ha:
family Of Logs and girls Of schoo
ase. He investigates school ccndi
tons and facilities; finds them de
pIoiabe or doubtful, and finds tina
his children must travel several mile
over broken ard often dangerou
roads between homa and schoolhouse
"lIe moves on, and buys farm in
progressive section where good read
exist and school facilities are on tn
same plane.
Sunday is Lamertation Day.
Another case may be cited; where
= family is established. The agricu
tural features are all right; the cl
- mate IS inviting; the people are no
pitable and agreeable; a good raj
/ road town is only five or ten mile
h distant. The new settler came in tn
VI dry season, when even the wori
d roads may be travelled In the rain
IS seacon, In midwlnter, it is no road ;
T. all; it is a nightmare.
h. "The Sunday is lamentation day. n
church, no Sunday school, Io outing
d nothing hut dull monotony and d.
y appointment. They can go nowhere
j. and nobody can come to them.
n this case, the road is q trouble bree
k. er; the family is in rebellion; there
y, neither peace nor happiness in tn;
Of home, but discomfort sits on II
h hearthstone. The settler moves OF
and the neighborhood has one mo
- advertiser-of its demerits.
- L A.