The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1912-04-23
The Relation Of Good Roads to the
Public Health.

relief could be obtained. IL the roads
are wet and bad and children march
10 school with wet and muddy feet,
their vitality is lowered and loss OF
life must ensue.
The Difference Between the City and
the Country.
Many men complain that there has
been a steady movement from coun-
try TO city. The reason Is plain. The
city is more attractive to live in be-
cause II has perfect roads of asphalt,
macadam and Belgian black and con-
crete sidewalks. No person need to
have his feet muddy in going from
one point to another In the city Is
concentrated many of the things that
human beings desire, but IL the coun-
try had good roads 1t would be a more
desirable place to live than the city.
,, The countryman has good air, free
from dust and smoke. He is away
| from the roaring noise of the city and
the everlasting grind Of the wheels
of the street car. In the country he
has his own fresh food, prepared by
nature, at his hand; poultry, eggs,
fresh milk cream, butter, fresh vege.
tables of all kinds and fresh fruits
peace. young animal life to interest
and please him, and nature smiling
back in his face and giving him TO-.
900 per cent for every seed he plants.
with good roads he can come to the
city when he likes and go back to his
peaceful. pleasan. home, satisfied.
City life enervates and weakens
human beings, as rule, because of
the nervous strain OF city life, while
in the country man grows strong,
with steady nerves, good lungs and
brawny limbs. The conditions of
country life should be made more at
tractve, The social intercourse and
pleasure of country people, proper
pleasure of country people, prope
school facilities and church advantages
should be made available with good
roads. From the country has sprung
the greatest men of genius and pat
riotism. Nearly half of all of our
people are engaged in agriculture, and
they furnish half of the taxes and pro-
duce three-fourths of the wealth of
the nation. | am in favor, for their
sakes, of stimulating the building of
good roads, but let us remember that
the building of good roads Is just as
important to the city man who lives
on the produce of the country as it is
to the countryman who raises that
food supply. 1t is of equal importance
and value to both the residents OF
the city and of the country. 1t is of
equal importance to the professional
man and the laborer, to the farmer
and the city merchant, to the produc.
er and the consumer. 1t means lower
cost of living to all. 1t means great
commercial and financial advantage
to all. 1t means greater pleasure and
enjoyment of life to ALL
Many of our government expendi-
lures are made without return, but
here is magnificent investment,
which, II 1t were based on the credit
system, would pay Is per cent on every
dollar judiciously invested and would
add to our national energies. The ex-
perience of other states has shown
the importance of the state taking the
initiative and guiding the activities of
the counties and in this way getting
greater results. This has been fully
explained by the senator from Virgin.
la as the experience in that state.
An Avenue to Employ the unem.
ployed.
If we had this system established
we could give employment to the un.
employed at rates that would not at.
tract men already engaged, but would
attract men out of work and in need.
There are hundreds of thousands OF
men OF this class available.
Mr.. President this bill ought to be
Immediately reported and passed. |
remind Republicans that public senti-
ment has so far crystallized that In
their national platform of 1908 they
cordially Endorsed aid to good roads
in the following language;
I'VE recognize the social and eco
monte advantages of good country
roads, maintained more and more
largely at public expense and less and
less at the expense of the abutting
property owner. In this work we
commend the growing practice of the
national agricultural department by
experiment and otherwise to make
clear to the public the best methods