The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-04-26
BY ISAAC l. TOTEM.

This spring the roads have been put
70 . very severe test. and the roads
that were poorly constructed have
been in very bad shape.
It IL during such a spring as this
that we realize the Importance of
building good roads and also the i'm
portance of properly keeping them up;
but. We somehow forget about what
VIC need in this line when the time
comes to work out our road tax
We wonder II there isn't a slight
pric,1ng OF the conscience of the farm
er who sees how bad the roads are and
who knows how he sighted his share
OF the work on them in working out
his road tax.
Perhaps he has become 80 accus-
toned TO that sort of thing that his
conscience is hardened to 1t.
II 10 a customary practice for farm
ers to kick about poor roads, and 1t La
q customary practice for them to see
just how little work they can do to
get their road tax receipts.
II farmer is supposed to haul
twelve loads Of gravel to put on the
road. he will usually have just as
small loads as he can put over or he
will haul ten loads and report that he
has hauled the twelve.
No one needs good roads more than
the farmer.
1t Is the farmers railroad to his
nearest market.
The economical transportation OF
the produce on the railroad.
Do we all look at it in that light?
When produce must be hauled over
poor roads it means an additional ex-
pense which must be met by the farm
er or by the customer-usually both.
The increased transportation charg-
es and other expenses of handling
crop before It gets to the consumer,
means that the consumer must pay
more without making the profit any
greater for the farmer.
Oftentimes farmer could take ad-
vantage Of a good price for his grain
were It possible to get that grain to
town.
But II the roads are In bad shape,
he must hold his produce and In the
meantime. or rather by the time the
roads are in a condition that he can go
over them with load, the price goes
down and he loses considerable.
The subject of good roads IL one OF
much importance for every farmer.
No matter how good the crop may
be or how large If the expense of
placing it upon the market eats up the
profit, 1t Is quite evident that the
years work has been in vain.
Out in the West there is much rich
soil and the climate in some places
IL often much more conducive to the
production Of certain crops than here,
yet the increased cost of getting the
crops to market from the Western
points more than offsets the differ
sncc in the increased yield.
None of US need to be told that the
roads need better attention; we all
know It.
But.
Occasionally farmers get together to
discuss the subject of road improve
ment. and one would imagine that
something was going to be done along
that line instanter; but the big noise
10 about all there is to It.
At q good roads meeting recently we
had the pleasure (?) of listening to
long talk by a farmer who thought
he hsw all there was worth knowing
about the construction of good roads
and thsir maantainenco. This fellow
took up nearly all Of the time to tell
the rest of those present what should
be done and all Of us knew that he
didn't know what he was talking
about.
It u q general rule for those who
know the least about any thing to
talk the most about 1t.
& There IL only one way to have good
roads and that Ia to get busy and build
them.
Not only to build them. but to main
tain them after they are built.
1t il not an uncommon occurrence
to hear farmers and others complain
ing of the poor service Of some public
utility that Is under the management
OF corporation
cSnsod over poorly constructed
street car track that 1t is ready to
take up arms against the owners Of
the tracks; but when 1t comes right
down 10 something for which each in
dividual Ia directly responsible. When
that II something else
Good roads make for the better
ment and thrift Of a farming communi-
~ and the nearby cities Just az sure
ly as railroads make for the advance
ment of civilization In the hitherto un-
settled parts of the world.
The advent OF the automobile makes
the repairing Of highways a consid-'
cradle problem.