The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1912-10-28
Paid Advertisement
GOOD ROADS
OUR SUPREME NEED

missing link in the chain of agricultural prog
ress is the hard highway. Il is the most effective
handicap financial educational and social improve
ment impossible roads forestal all schemes for COM
munity advancement They form impenetrable
barrier between the farm and the market, the school,
the church the social meeting place. Conversely,
good road promotes business and social intercourse
quickly and effectively than any other single
factor The improvement of marketing and of rural
schools proceeds directly in proportion to the improve
mept of roads. In the order of importance of national
problems to the country dweller, road Improvement
unquestionably stands first Given system Of hard
highways, the organization of the community is rend-
cred relatively easy With good roads the small town
prospers.
The first step toward an efficient system of high
ways l. favorable public opinion; politics should play
no more part in the management OF roads than il
should in the management Of schools. The primary
benefit Of road 10 local and the responsibility for
road maintenance should be local Expensive i'm
provements IN the location of roads will benefit
posterity and 10 only reasonable that the be
distributed to future generations by bond system.
Any estimate Of a rural community must begin with
Investigation of road conditions. Are your roads ad
equate? Are they well maintained? IL the cost of
roads adequately distributed? Are your people awake
10 the needs of permanently good roads? Here 10
your opportunity for local inrospecton.
The Director Of Public Roads, L. w. Page, says
that the coming of the automobile has upset the road
standards and the problem is to make roads that will
stand heavy, fast traffic. The question" he says,
is gradually narrowing down to Of local available
y and adaptablity to local conditions reasonable
cost" This is the larger problem of the building
of roads, Unless there is a larger use Of local
materials of the road-makng schemes will cost
beyond all patience.
The making Of roads must be systematized in
methods. The bcst road for each peculiar locality
should be secured at ANY cost Roads are less local
property than they were owing to the interstate
travel by automobile. Though the locality negligent
Of its roads suffers the most stimulus should come
from the nation, which will not long allow
development to remain.
The proposal of the county commissioners to Is
100000 worth of bonds the proceeds to be
spent in perfecting the system of county highway
ought to receive the earnest and thoughtful attention
Of all citizens in King county.
The sum of 81 100000 one-third of the total
amount, would be spent within the limits of Seattle,
and the remaining 100000 would be spent in clos
ing of the rough gaps in the county system out
side of the city. As to the wisdom of doing the pro-
posed work. there can be reasonable doubt. II
Is a necessary work. and there does not seem to be
any good why the people of King county
should not authorize the bond issue.
Good roads public necessity, and we know
the direct benefit they confer upon the community
Money invested in good roads is wisely invested; it
goes into a permanent public Improvement of great
usefulness and value, and If may the cost
to be fair and reasonable and the construction work
satisfactory and substantial can have but little
quarrel if any at ALL with the who expend public
money for this purpose
Because of the importance of the subject and the
size of the proposed bond issue, the people should
carefully consider the good roads bond issue. If they
do carefully consider it, certainly they will approve it
on November S.
THE ASSOCIATION OF WESTERN PORTLAND
CEMENT MANUFACTURERS,
Booklets and Other on Cement Write to
CEMENT INFORMATION BUREAU
AL Globe Block, Seattle, Wash