Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-06-20
Poorly Kept Roads.

The average reader will recognize
| more truth than poetry in the follow
| ing interview with Logan Waller
Page, director of the L. 5. office of
public roads. which is just made
public by the Department of Agrioul
ture. Mr. Page said:
Philosophers who have been de-
ploring the trend of population from
country to city might as well save
their energy, unless they are prepared
to help change the conditions respon-
sible for the migration. At the root
of this condition are the poorly kept
roads of the country. 1t is certain
that the farmers do not get the use Of
their share of the money earned in
the United States. There are now
over 30, 600. 600 people in this country
and nearly one-third are farmers and
their families. The products OF the
farm are responsible for more than
one-third Of the wealth and COM
merce of the country. No one can
say, however, that one-third Of this
wealth is used by the farmer in the
betterment of the country districts
of cooperation among the farmers
that country districts have become
accumulated. The back to the eoun
try movement has had a consider
able vogue at sumptuous banquets in
cities, but the movement has not got
ten far out of town. for the simple
reason that life in the slums. despite
all theories. frequently is much more
livable than life in the country.
while fine phrases can be made IN
the discussion of the joy and health
of hand labor in the open air and un-
der the sun, it is fact that condi-
lions in the cities are much more
healthful today than conditions in tie
country Sanitation is better, and the
air in tenements is little worse than
the air in many country houses
where, because of the extreme cold
and lack of proper heating apparatus.
the windows must be kept closed
from October until May.
Improper sanitation poor drainage
and poor highways in the country have
brought about as great percentage
of diseases as exist in the city. While
country people are free, as rule,
from tuberculosis. they are extremely
liable to typhoid fever, pneumonia
and other diseases that are brought
on bv improper drainage and impfop-
er ventilation.
THE work that is being done to-
wards the improvement of roads
throughout the country will change
this condition. Improved roads will
give to the country districts the i'm
provements enjoyed by fashionable
suburbs, and will improve drainage,
and wipe out isolation. In most To-
ealities, life on farms invariably be-
comes. as a result of bottomless roads,
isolated and debarred of social enjoy
ment and pleasures. and country peo-
pie in some communities suffer such
disadvantages that ambition Is check
ed. energy weakened and industry
paralyzed. Under such conditions, 1t
is but natural that persons engaged
in farming. especially the younger
folks, should seek the life and gaiety
of the cities. There they feel they
will find recreation. variety, youth,
beauty and music.
THE difference between good and
bad roads is often equivalent to the
difference between profit and loss.
Money wisely expended fol this pur-
pose is sure to return ten-fold: and
now that the states are expanding in
the aggregate one million dollars day
for road Improvement, conditions IN
the country are likely TO be so I'M
proved that the trend toward the city
Will be stopped and the overflow IN
the cities will turn to the country.