Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1912-10-02
GOOD ROADS FOR MAIL
Rural Carrier II. +. Tyler Gives His
Opinion After Eleven Years
Service.
WORK WINTER AND SPRING.
National and State Aid in Making
Roads Passable Year Round
Advocated i'm Paper Read
Before State Association.

The following is an interesting
paper on the good roads problem
written by one who knows-Mr. X.
f. Tyler, rural mail carrier, No. a.,
Decorah-and read before the recent
state association of rural mail car
riers:
1t is with much interest that |
listen to the discussions at this con-
vention, and there is no subject that
is of more vital Importance to the
rural carrier and the people at large
than the subject of good roads. All
classes of people are interested.
The farmer wants good roads over
which to haul his produce to market;
the owners Of automobiles want good
roads over which to run their ma
chimes: the business man wants good
roads so that the farmers can get to
town to trade All are mutually in
terested, and there lis at this time
an awakening On the question of
good roads, the like of which has
never been seen in this country.
And | am much pleased to state that
we are beginning to get results.
] hopc the time is not far distant
when the Congress of the United
States will come to our rescue, and
give us national aid that will build
a permanent road over every rural
mail route in the United States.
We have already wasted millions
of dollars on our public roads and
all we have to show for it is nation
wide streaks of mud. Let us change
this system and have some perman-
ent roads on our rural routes. Ma
tional aid will do it, boys. Let us
get behind this proposition and push
it along.
National aid on our public roads
is not a new thing fer our govern
ment. Let me read little extract
by Z. NJ Rodebaugh on good reads:
"Without looking it up, how many
farmers can tell where the Island OF
Guam is?
"Our benelioent Uncle Sammy has
lust finished spending $4,000 build
ing and repairing the public roads
in Guam. Now why?
1--WE didn't kick on his spending a
million and a half on roads in the
Panama Canal zone, and when he
.coughed up couple of millions in
Porto Rico we hadn't much TO say;
and none of us got up in meeting
and protested over the three millions
for good roads in the Philippines,
but when it comes TO digging up for
q little two-by-five island away OFF
where there are only handful of
white people anyway, it's time some
body raised holler.
Yes, | thing it is, and | also think
the rural carriers have the biggest
holler.
III the United States government
can spend our money on the public
roads in the Panama Canal zone, in
Porto Rico, the Philippines and now
go away out in the Pacific ocean and
spend money on that little Island OF
Guam, think they can spend some
money on our rural routes right here
at home. And l think it is up to u.s.
and the whole American people to
make our demands so insistent that
Congress will have to respond with
b liberal appropriation for our rural
sputes.
Mr. Rodebaugh in his article says
tnrther:
1Wnllace hauled load Of goods
Mt from the station this week, II
"A -. him All day and nearly put hi.
Aam out of business for part OF the
NV the hubs rolled round on the
+, Naupd. the Fsats were so deep. Lots
a places, he had to get out and poke
tik mud out of the wheels with 9
f1Aoe rail as. the wheels locked and
wI3uldn' 4 turn round-and his loac
Z, WIS Ave hundred pounds.
.,frIt's seven miles to the station
Jifsmany places the axles scraped on
thu mud. Fourteen miles-daylight
to Aark-team played out. and In .
cifiaized country, not Africa. but II
Columbia, the gem OF the ocean, the
aaYSS of the. free and the brave.
gn4s SO. Free cash for the islant
OF Guam. And l know 1t takes
bravA man to tackle our kind or
roadin winter time.
"A" Why didn't he wait till spring!
Blessyour souls. that road won't b'
any letter for months. He Wen
after sSocerics. We needed EN-.
] think that, brother carriers ex
presses 1.-THE condition of our roads
here inaowa during last winter ant
spring petty well, only we as rnra
carriersflre obliged to make tril
OF from y to 80 miles six days eacl
week insNad of IA miles as in TN
case OF tbs man.
Now. ifwe are Obliged to cove
our routes Vegardless OF condition