Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1912-10-30
BAD ROADS ARE EXPENSIVE
Much Money Expended In Next Ten
Years for Needed Improvement
Of Public Thoroughfares.
CBy HOWARD II. oRossJ

IL - ItinaThaDle lhat so rev people
In any community are willing to profit
by the experiences Of other people In
other localities where the problem OF
good roads has been taken up and
solved. The dread Of taxes is the bug
bear; the reason this is 80 probably
lies in the fact that we usually see
so little benefit for what we pay out;
80 far as road taxes go It is safe to
say that fully ons.half is wasted be.
cause Of lack of skill, doing perhaps
the wrong thing, or doing the right
thing In the wrong way. II we had
the county as a road unit instead OF
the township, we could afford to hlre
a hrst class man to give his whole
time to road supervision. and by-this
means we could get approximately at
least dollar of benefit 70 rthe dol.
lar expended. BY this plan. Illinois
alone would save at least $4,000
day for every day in the year A pro
rata saving could be made In the ma
jority Of the other states.
1t is well within tho truth to say
that the money wasted in road admin
istration would pay the interest and
provide a sinking fund upon a bond is.
sue large enough to permanently i'm.
prove all the main highways in the
land.
Good roads cost money, surely they
do, but bad roads cost more. Good
roads greatly increase farm values,
and bad roads depreciate them. Wher
ever any community has had the
experience of having had both
kinds. they always and unanimous.
ly go in for good roads About
the lamest objection to good roads
the writer has ever heard was made
by round-headed farmer who is the
standing joke of his community. He
said Good roads will make my farm
worth more, sure 1t will but If 1t 10
worth more they will tax me more
for It," One of the bystanders said:
Bill, spose you trade your farm for
the Smith place, it's as good as yours,
but the taxes won't be half so much"
Bill took another think, and said he
allowed he would keep the farm he
had
Good roads are a relative term
When any community is used to very
bad roads, they appreciate road that
is not quite so bad, but far from be.
ing a good one. Really, a good road
should be one that is hard and smooth
every day in the year. A road that
is often good, but many times bad 10
like balky horse, not to be depend.
ed upon. The writer was told Of a
woman driving a span Of mules over
one of the worst roads In Arkansas
the mud was a foot deep, and both
she and the mules were plastered with
It. She finally came to a half-mile
of corduroy road through the bot
toms. AS she bumped along over the
logs that composed 1t, she remarked:
II do enjoy a good road, / don't see
why they don't build more on EN-"
The indications are that moro money
will be expended for good roads in the
next ten years than has been spent in
the last twenty-five years. Ohio is
soon to vote on a constitutional
amendment to authorize an issue Of
$50,OOO00O Of bonds to build a system
of state roads reaching every coun-
ty. The federal government is con.
sidering the plan Of aiding in the con.
struction The matter will be given q
hearing before the house committee
within the next few days. The indica.
tions are that something will be done
along this line. Sentiment is running
strong in that direction.